[Zenker's diverticulum].

During a period of 25 years, 115 patients with Zenker's diverticulum were submitted to diverticulectomy in the Ear-Nose and Throat Department of Arhus Municipal Hospital. The condition recurred in 18 of the patients treated operatively. In 24 patients (21%), local complications most of which were infective occurred. Ten patients developed paresis of the recurrent nerve and this was permanent in half of these. Thirteen patients (11%) developed other complications which were most frequently infective and one death occurred. It was found that postoperative prophylactic antibiotic treatment could reduce the number of local infective complications significantly and that there was a correlation between the occurrence of local infective complications and subsequent recurrences. No connection was found between the occurrence of local or other complications and the age of the patient. The endoscopic operative technique with CO2-laser has proved a rapid and safe method of treatment which appears to result in fewer complications and briefer periods of hospitalization.