system
Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
A 68-year-old man comes to the physician because of a 6-month history of difficulty swallowing pieces of meat and choking frequently during meal times. He also sometimes regurgitates foul-smelling, undigested food particles. Examination shows a 3 x 3 cm soft cystic, immobile mass in the upper third of the left side of his neck anterior to the left sternocleidomastoid muscle that becomes prominent when he coughs. A barium swallow shows an accumulation of contrast on the lateral aspect of the neck at the C5 level. Which of the following is the most likely underlying cause for this patient's condition?
assistant
Increased intrapharyngeal pressure