[Epiphrenic diverticula of the esophagus. Apropos of 16 surgically-treated cases].

The authors report on a series of 14 cases (10 men and 4 women) of epiphrenic diverticula treated surgically over a period of 14 years. Size was variable and the neck was narrow in 7 cases, wide in 5, and very wide in 2. Four patients presented with a double diverticulum. The diverticula are normally found on the right side (9 cases), and underlying dyskinesia is always present, often accompanied by major or minor cardiospasm (11 cases) or reflux from sliding hiatal hernia (3 cases). No manometric exploration was carried out in this series. Management was based on physiopathological considerations - 6 diverticulectomies with 5 myotomies, 6 myotomies with no diverticulectomy. The approach was left thoracic in 7 cases and abdominal in the others. The mortality rate was zero, and functional results are good. They are all the better in that the diverticulectomy, the myotomy and the repair of the gastroesophageal reflux have now been performed.