Dysphagia caused by spinal diseases

Dysphagia due to external compression by anterior hyperostosis of the cervi cal spine is rare. The diagnosis maybe established by conventional X-ray of the spine, oesophagogram, CT or MRI. Cases: We operated on one patient with an exostosis on the axis and another patient with large anterior osteophytes from C3 to C7 in Forestiers's dise ase. Postoperatively the patients were asymptomatic. Conclusions: Painful dysphagia due to anterior hyperostosis of the cervical spine is an indication for surgery. The anterolateral extrapharyngeal appr oach from C3 to C7 and the transoral intrapharyngeal approach to the verteb ra C2 are preferred. In cooperation between orthopaedics and ENT the surgic al treatment has no major complications and gives good functional results.