J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1994 Jun;37(6):752-758.

Cricopharyngeal Incoordination in Infancy

• Kim YJ
• Seo JK

Abstract

Cricopharyngeal incoordination of infancy is a rare disease, characterized by difficult swallowing soon after birth. regurgitation, frequent choking and aspiration with deglutition, recurrent aspiration pneumonia, and to-and-fro movement of the contrast medium in the posterior pharynx on upper esophageal cineroentgenography. Clinical investigation was performed in the infants who were admitted due to difficult swallowing, regurgitation, and recurrent pneumonia from March 1, 1989 to June 30, 1992. The results were as follows: 1) Male to female sex ratio was great, and major symptoms such as difficult swallowing, regurgitation, choking and aspiration with deglutition, and those of pneumonia developed soon after birth in most cases. 2) The typical findings of this disease were noted on the cineroentgenography of upper esophagus in all cases and those of aspiration pneumonia in 10 cases. 3) The infants had been fed via gavage tube until they were able to swallow without difficulties before and after 6 months after birth. 4) Cricopharyngeal incoordination is a rare disease, but we suggest this disease should be considered in differential diagnosis in the infants with difficult swallowing soon after birth and recurrent episodes of aspiration pneumonia.

MeSH Terms

Airway Obstruction
Ataxia*
Deglutition
Diagnosis, Differential
Esophagus
Female
Humans
Infant
Male
Parturition
Pharynx
Pneumonia
Pneumonia, Aspiration
Rare Diseases
Sex Ratio