Dysphagia and Forestier's disease.

Dysphagia is a common complaint of patients seen by otolaryngologists. Cervical osteophytes have been widely reported as a cause of dysphagia. Recently, Forestier's disease (vertebral ankylosing hyperostosis or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis) has also been identified as a cause of dysphagia. Two patients had dysphagia due to Forestier's disease. Their barium esophagograms demonstrated narrowing of the esophagus due to the vertebral osteophytes and their computed tomographic scans show the extent of the osteophyte deformity.