Surgical Treatment of Forestier's Disease as a Cause of Dysphagia: Case Report

Introduction: Forestier's disease, also known as diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, is a systemic, non-inflammatory diseaseof unknown etiology, common in men over 50 years of age and consisting of calcification and ossification of peripheral ligaments and enthesis, with great selectivity for the anterior portion of the spine.Clinical Case: A 56-year-old male patient with a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus, with a seven-year historyof progressive dysphagia and rigidity in neck movements. Radiographic, tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging studiesshowed multisegmented hyperostosis of the anterior longitudinal ligament from C2 to T3, with prominent osteophytes thatcontact the prevertebral soft tissues, in addition to confirmation of mechanical dysphagia by esophagogram with barium contrast.Conclusion: Surgical treatment of Forestier's disease has been shown to be highly effective in cases with severe symptoms,such as dysphagia. When conservative treatment fails, the resection of symptomatic anterior osteophytes emerges as a safe andpromising procedure for long-term relief.