Laparoscopy in the treatment of a giant true epiphrenic diverticulum with migration of the gastrointestinal anastomosis staples

Our case is a 62-year-old diabetic man with a longstanding history of regurgitation, halitosis, recurrent chest infection, and most recently upper gastrointestinal bleeding. He was diagnosed 10 years earlier with an epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum, and also has a family history of this condition. Barium study revealed a 10x10 cm epiphrenic diverticula with a 4 cm neck, the lower margin of the opening lying 6 cm from the gastro-esophageal junction. Endoscopy confirmed the x-ray findings, and motility studies were within normal limits. The patient underwent laparoscopic excision of the diverticulum via the transabdominal approach. Histopathological examination revealed this diverticulum to be of the “true” type