Diagnosis and treatment of cervical osteophytes causing dysphagia.

Anterior cervical osteophytes (ACO) are common in adults over the age of 65, and symptoms can range from dysphonia, throat pain, and, the focus of this case presentation, dysphagia. Conservative treatment is often advised, but when no relief is exhibited or symptoms contribute to a worsening patient condition, surgical osteophyte resection is often the treatment of choice. We present the case of a 74-year-old man with severe exacerbation of dysphagia that led to an anterior C3-C5 osteophytectomy, with significant improvement.