title: Esophageal dilation: personal experience with current instruments and techniques.
abstract: The popularity and widespread use of flexible panendoscopy has produced a dramatic change in the management of benign strictures of the esophagus. Most are now managed medically. Two new esophageal dilators, the balloon and Savary, have made a major impact on the endoscopist's armamentarium. The Maloney dilator is still used 56% of the time, in the author's experience with strictures that are symmetrical and greater than 1.2-1.4 cm in diameter. Hydrostatic balloon dilators are used 24% of the time with strictures that are asymmetrical and 1.2 cm or more in diameter. The Savary thermoplastic dilators have replaced Eder-Puestow dilators and are used 20% of the time in strictures 1.2 cm or less in diameter. Morbidity and mortality rates should be under 1% with all dilators and are 0.1% and 0.05%, respectively, in the author's last 2000 dilations.
authors.affiliation: University of South Alabama School of Medicine, Mobile.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004106:Dilatation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D006801:Humans