[Dysphagia due to diffuse degenerative changes in the cervical spine].

Degenerative changes in the cervical spine can produce osteophytes of the anterior margins of the cervical vertebrae. Although cervical osteophytes have been reported to cause many complications, most remain clinically silent. Very few cases of pharyngeal dysphagia and pseudotumoral bulging of pharyngeal wall resulting from cervical osteophytes have been described. Dysphagia in these cases is caused either by mechanical obstruction or by paraoesophageal inflammation due to irritation at the osteophytes processes. We present a case of 63 year-old patient suffering dysphagia secondary to cervical osteophytes. ENT examination reveal bulged wall of the hypopharynx resemble the tumor. The diagnosis was established by conventional X-ray of the spine and CT. We investigated this case fully to rule out an alternative pathology.