Cricopharyngeal Myotomy Treatment in India

Robert Mehta, a 68-year-old retired history...

Robert Mehta, a 68-year-old retired history professor, had always been an avid foodie and storyteller. For over two years, he struggled with a growing and distressing sensation that food was getting 'stuck' in his throat, particularly with dry foods like bread and chicken. Meals, once a joyful social event, became a source of anxiety and choking episodes. He lost 15 pounds unintentionally and started avoiding dinners with friends. After numerous tests ruled out other causes, a videofluoroscopic swallow study revealed a hypertonic cricopharyngeus muscle, a tight upper esophageal sphincter that wouldn't relax to let food pass. His ENT surgeon, Dr. Evans, recommended a cricopharyngeal myotomy, explaining it as a precise cut to release the 'too-tight valve.' Robert was terrified of throat surgery but desperate for relief. The procedure, performed endoscopically, went smoothly. The first few days post-op involved a liquid diet and significant throat pain, but within a week, he tried soft pasta. To his amazement, it slid down effortlessly for the first time in years. Within a month, he was cautiously enjoying a wider variety of foods. Emotionally, he moved from a state of isolated frustration and fear to profound relief and regained joy. He describes the surgery as 'giving me back my table and my community.'