Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40387279›Full record

ArticleThe Laryngoscope2025

Prevalence of Esophageal Webs in Patients Undergoing Direct Laryngoscopy.

Zao M Yang, Savannah M Stockton, Evan C Compton, Jennifer J Butler, Christopher M Johnson, Gregory N Postma

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Laryngoscope, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Zao M YangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0701-3341
Savannah M StocktonDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Evan C ComptonDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Jennifer J ButlerDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Christopher M JohnsonDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Gregory N PostmaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe prevalence of esophageal webs in the pharyngoesophageal segment (PES) is unknown, in part because webs produce inconsistent symptomatology and can be difficult to diagnose. This study aims to determine the prevalence of PES webs in patients undergoing endoscopic laryngeal surgery.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study included patients undergoing laryngoscopy for pathology unrelated to webs. Evaluation for the presence of a web was performed on standard/routine examination of the PES during direct laryngoscopy. Demographic and clinical factors were analyzed for associations with webs.

resultsOf 123 patients included in this study, 42 (34.1%) were found to have a PES web. A total of 22 webs (52.4%) were on the left, 16 (38.1%) were on the right, and 4 (9.5%) were bilateral. There was no difference in age (58.1 vs. 58.7, p = 0.864) or BMI (29.7 vs. 29.8, p = 0.900) between patients with and without PES webs. Webs were significantly more common in patients with a history of irradiation to the head and neck (70% vs. 31%, p = 0.031) with a RR of 2.26 (CI: 1.38-3.69). There was no association of webs with gender, race, history of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or other clinical factors. Only 33.3% of patients with a web had documented symptoms of dysphagia.

conclusionsPES webs may be more prevalent than what is historically cited in the literature, and webs may be more common in patients with a history of irradiation to the head and neck. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4:

Indexed as

Esophageal DiseasesLaryngoscopyPharyngeal DiseasesAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceRetrospective Studiesdysphagiaesophageal webpharyngoesophageal dysphagiapharyngoesophageal segmentupper esophageal sphincter

Identifiers

PMID40387279
PMCPMC12475562

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.