Dysphagia due to ossification of anterior longitudinal ligament with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) : Two cases report

We report two cases of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) with dysphagia. The anterior longitudinal ligament was ossified, and had compressed the esophagus in both cases. We performed surgical resection of the ossified anterior longitudinal ligament (OALL) on both patients, and their symptoms were postoperatively ameliorated. The surgical resection of OALL was an effective procedure for dysphagia, though a careful approach is necessary to prevent injury to the esophagus and other soft tissues, since normal anatomical structures are affected by OALL.