Endoscopic treatment of postradiation strictures.
BACKGROUND
Esophageal stricture is a rare complication of radiotherapy: reports on its incidence and management are therefore anecdotal.


METHODS
From January 1978 to September 1992, 44 patients presenting with an esophageal stricture related to a previous radiation treatment were endoscopically dilated at the Endoscopy Division of the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan.


RESULTS
Esophageal recanalization was obtained in 95% of the patients treated, and in 79% of these normal eating habits were restored. No strict correlation was observed between radiation dose and severity of the stricture, or time elapsed between first treatment and endoscopic dilation.


CONCLUSIONS
In our experience, endoscopic dilation was a safe effective procedure and represented an effective palliative tool in dysphagic patients with esophageal strictures due to previous local radiotherapy.
Spinelli
P
P
Divisione di Diagnostica e Chirurgia Endoscopica, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milano, Italy.
Milani
F
F
Cerrai
F G
FG
Mancini
A
A
Ali
D C
DC
Palazzi
M
M
Pizzetti
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage