title: Balloon or bougie for dilatation of benign oesophageal stricture? An interim report of a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: Seventy one patients with benign oesophageal strictures were randomised to receive balloon or bougie dilatation. Sixty five patients were eligible for analysis. At the end of five months the balloon group had significantly more dysphagia and the calibre of the strictures in the balloon group had narrowed by a greater degree. The methods were equally safe and acceptable to patients. While the choice of the method of dilatation depends on the individual patient's needs and operator experience, bougie dilatation is more effective in reducing dysphagia and maintaining stricture patency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hull Royal Infirmary.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Maslin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Buckton
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hoare
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004106:Dilatation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation