An Unusual Disease With a Common Presentation: Cricopharyngeal Dysfunction in Inclusion Body Myositis

Cricopharyngeal (CP) dysfunction is a frequent cause of dysphagia among patients with inclusion body myositis. Early identification and prompt treatment is necessary because aspiration pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality among these patients. We present a case of a 57-year-old woman with a history of inclusion body myositis who presented with progressive dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia found to have CP dysfunction treated with endoscopic CP myotomy. Postoperatively, patient's dysphagia improved with no further episodes of aspiration at 2-year follow-up.