Published online Mar 6, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i7.1639
Peer-review started: July 31, 2020
First decision: December 14, 2020
Revised: December 16, 2020
Accepted: January 20, 2021
Article in press: January 20, 2021
Published online: March 6, 2021
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systematic and rheumatic disease, which causes multiple symptoms. However, dysphagia due to the formation of a giant anterior cervical osteophyte is rare in patients with AS.
We present the case of a 65-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with AS and visited the hospital with a complaint of progressive dysphagia. The appropriate imaging examinations indicated that a giant anterior cervical osteo-phyte at C3-4 caused esophageal compression, which led to dysphagia. An operation for resection was performed without complications.
This case demonstrates that a large cervical osteophyte may be the cause of dysphagia in patients with AS, and early accurate diagnosis and surgical treat-ment are very important for the improvement of symptoms. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion are extremely effective and should be taken into consideration.
Core Tip: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systematic and rheumatic disease, which causes multiple symptoms. However, dysphagia is rare in patients with AS. We present the case of a 65-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with AS and visited the hospital with a complaint of progressive dysphagia. The appropriate imaging examinations indicated that a giant anterior cervical osteophyte at C3-4 caused esophageal compression, which led to dysphagia. An operation called anterior cervical discectomy and fusion was performed without complications. This case demonstrates that early accurate diagnosis and surgical treatment are very important for the improvement of symptoms.