title: Endoscopic dilatation of esophageal strictures in children and adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the causes of esophageal stricture in pediatric patients and their response to endoscopic dilatation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of clinical and endoscopic data obtained from children and adolescents with esophageal stricture submitted to endoscopic dilatation between July 1993 and January 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 125 patients aged between 1 month and 16 years were included in the study. Among the types of stenosis, postoperative (43.2%), corrosive (27.2%) and peptic (21.6%) strictures were the most prevalent. Those patients with corrosive esophageal stricture needed more dilatation sessions. Five cases of esophageal perforation and one case of hemorrhage occurred due to complications during the procedure. Good response to endoscopic treatment was described in 74.4% of cases, but better results were obtained from patients with peptic esophageal stricture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic treatment of esophageal strictures in children and adolescents yields good results and has a low rate of complications. Corrosive esophageal strictures have a higher morbidity and require more dilatation sessions.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Alfa de Gastroenterologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Fernando Souto
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.forename: Simone Diniz
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Alexandre Rodrigues
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Suzana Fonseca Oliveira
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Denise Oliveira
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Paulo Pimenta
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Figueiredo Filho
authors.forename: Walton
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.forename: Edivaldo Fraga
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Francisco José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Penna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002404:Catheterization; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome