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Endoscopic Staple Diverticulostomy
by Christopher Chang, MD • Last Modified 12/11/2006

The procedure occurs as follows:

1. After being placed under general anesthesia, special laryngoscope is placed into your mouth and advanced to where the diverticulum is located. (Slide 4 and Slide 4b)
2. Special sutures are placed to anchor the common wall between the diverticulum and esophagus (swallowing tube). (Slide 9)
3. A stapler device is than used to divide and seal the cut edges. (Slide 11)
4. The anchoring sutures are cut and removed.
5. Laryngoscope is removed.
6. You are awakened and extubated. The procedure generally takes 30-45 minutes to perform. (Slide 12)
7. You are discharged after a few hours of observation. If you live far away, you have the option of staying the night in the hospital or at the hotel.
8. By the next day, you are allowed to eat a regular meal.

That's it!

For a pictoral slideshow of this procedure, go here. This webpage compares this surgical approach with other surgical methods.

Click here to watch a video created by the surgeons at Oregon Health Sciences University on how this operation is performed.