Posttraumatic cervical osteophytosis causing progressive dysphagia.

Dysphagia is a commonly encountered patient complaint. The differential diagnosis for dysphagia is extensive. One long-recognized etiology of dysphagia is cervical osteophytosis. Degenerative joint disease, ankylosing spondylosis, and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) can all cause cervical osteophyte formation. We describe a patient with dysphagia and a large cervical osteophyte. Our case illustrates cervical osteophytosis associated with a history of previous cervical spine trauma. Evaluation and management strategies are discussed.