CRICOPHARYNGEAL INCOORDINATION IN INFANCY

Abstract

Two cases of pharyngo-esophageal (cricopharyngeal) incoordination in infants are decribed. In both cases the cineradiographic swallow was characteristic. Both children had small lower jaws which opened poorly, difficulty in swallowing, and aspirated food repeatedly; one child died in one such episode. At autopsy this child demonstrated functional pharyngo-esophageal obstruction at the level of the cricopharyngeus. On histological section of the esophagus, nerve fibers but no ganglia were demonstrated in the wall of the upper third, while the lower two-thirds contained both nerve fibers and ganglia.