Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastrointest Surg. Jun 27, 2026; 18(6): 118552
Published online Jun 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.118552
Published online Jun 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.118552
Surgical management of dysphagia at the oropharyngeal-esophageal junction due to cervical spondylosis: Two case reports
Xiao-Hua Li, Yan-Yu Sun, Ting-Ting Chen, Fang Yang, Zhen-Bin Lai, Jie He, Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361021, Fujian Province, China
Author contributions: Li XH, Sun YY, and Chen TT collected case, analyzed and drafted the manuscript; Yang F and Lai ZB analyzed the case; He J analyzed and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Corresponding author: Jie He, Director, Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College, No. 566 Shengguang Road, Jimei District, Xiamen 361021, Fujian Province, China. hejie5288@qq.com
Received: January 6, 2026
Revised: February 11, 2026
Accepted: March 23, 2026
Published online: June 27, 2026
Processing time: 160 Days and 14.6 Hours
Revised: February 11, 2026
Accepted: March 23, 2026
Published online: June 27, 2026
Processing time: 160 Days and 14.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This study reports cervical spondylosis at the oropharyngeal-esophageal junction as a rare but treatable cause of oropharyngeal dysphagia in two elderly patients. By presenting these uncommon cases, the study demonstrates that this etiology should be considered when common causes are ruled out. Dysphagia was resolved through orthopedic surgery and subsequent rehabilitation in both patients. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of recognizing cervical spondylosis as a potential cause of dysphagia and facilitating appropriate intervention to prevent serious complications and improve clinical outcomes, thereby contributing to better management of dysphagia.