Abstract
The cricopharyngeus is the major functional component of the upper esophageal sphincter. Failure of this sphincter to relax in a coordinated fashion during swallowing is a rare cause of dysphagia in pediatric patients but can lead to significant morbidity. Diagnosis of cricopharyngeal achalasia is typically made with a videofluoroscopic swallow study, with the potential support of other methods such as endoscopy and manometry. There are a number of described techniques for management ranging from dilation to open myotomy.
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Bedwell, J.R. (2018). Cricopharyngeal Dysfunction in Children. In: Ongkasuwan, J., Chiou, E. (eds) Pediatric Dysphagia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97025-7_17
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