Anterior cervical osteophyte dysphagia: manofluorographic and functional outcomes after surgery.

Background: Our aim was to investigate the clinical and manofluorographic findings of patients with anterior cervical osteophyte (ACO) dysphagia before and after surgery.
Methods: Chart review including manofluorography (MFG) data of patients undergoing ACO removal was undertaken.
Results: Thirteen patients underwent transcervical ACO removal over a 10-year period. A postoperative hematoma was the only surgical complication. Overall, there was a significant postoperative decrease in Functional Outcome Swallowing Scale (FOSS). MFG data showed an elevated preoperative intrabolus pressure gradient across the osteophyte (IB-Gra), 39.78 mm Hg, and IB-Gra significantly decreased to 19 mm Hg 6 months after surgery.
Conclusion: Functional (FOSS) and objective MFG (IB-Gra) improvements occurred in patients who had ACO dysphagia and underwent surgery. These findings support high IB-Gra as a reliable objective indicator for surgical intervention for ACO dysphagia and IB-Gra as an appropriate parameter for follow-up after ACO removal. In selected patients, ACO removal by anterolateral-transcervical approach is a safe and highly effective treatment.