Modified Barium Swallow After Placement

A 68-year-old man underwent C5 anterior corpectomy with fusion (C4-C6) with expandable cage, autograft, and anterior instrumentation and posterior spinal decompression and fusion (C4-7) for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. He presented 5 months later with odynophagia and dysphagia, which progressed into stridor. As a part of the workup for his respiratory distress, a modified barium swallow was conducted (at this point 11 months postoperatively), which showed intermittent laryngeal penetration without aspiration. Click the Related Article link for full details.