Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2006 Feb;49(2):241-245.

A Case of Zenker's Diverticulum Mimicking the Thyroid Tumor Associated with Vocal Cord Palsy

• Lee JD
• Park H
• Shin JM
• Koh YW

Abstract

We usually consider the anterior neck mass associated with ipsilateral vocal cord paralysis as a thyroid tumor. Zenker's diverticulum (ZD) is classically defined as a pulsion diverticulum between the cricopharyngeal muscle and inferior constrictor muscle in an area of Killian's triangle. If ZD increases sufficiently, it might be presented as a anterior neck mass, or a thyroid tumor. In the literature, ZD has been rarely presented as a thyroid mass associated with ipsilateral vocal cord palalysis. ZD occurs predominantly in the elderly and induces non-specific symptoms such as dysphagia, regurgitaion, aspiration pneumonia, and halitosis. Vocal cord paralysis associated with ZD may be related to carcinoma occurring in ZD. We report, with a brief review of literature, a case of ZD mimicking the thyroid tumor associated with vocal cord paralysis and treated with surgery.

Keyword

Zenker's diverticulum; Vocal cord paralysis; Thyroid gland

MeSH Terms

Aged
Deglutition Disorders
Diverticulum
Halitosis
Humans
Neck
Pneumonia, Aspiration
Thyroid Gland*
Vocal Cord Paralysis*
Vocal Cords*
Zenker Diverticulum*