title: The effects of endoscopic-guided balloon dilations in esophageal and gastric strictures caused by corrosive injuries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophageal stricture (ES) and gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) can occurred in patients injured by the ingestion of corrosive agents. These complications may occur concurrently but has not been reported in the literature. The aims of this study are to assess the effects and complications of endoscopic-guided balloon dilations (EBD) in patients with corrosive-induced upper gastrointestinal strictures, either ES or GOO alone and simultaneous occurrences of both (ES + GOO).
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2002 to December 2009, 36 patients with corrosive-induced upper gastrointestinal strictures in a tertiary hospital were recruited into this study. The patients were divided into three groups, ES group (n = 18), GOO (n = 7), and ES + GOO group (n = 11). All strictures were dilated under direct visualization by using through-the-scope balloon catheters to the end point of 15 mm. The end-point of treatment was successful ingestion of a solid or semisolid diet without additional dilation for more than 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These 36 patients included 15 males and 21 females with average age of 47 years ranging from 25 to 79 years. The success rates for ES group is significantly better than GOO and ES + GOO group (83.3% vs. 57.1% vs. 36.4% p = 0.035). Less complications were observed in ES group than in GOO and ES + GOO group (16.7% vs. 42.9% vs. 36.4%, p = 0.041). GOO group needed more sessions of dilations in order to achieve success dilations than ES and GOO groups (13.7 ± 4.9 vs. 6.1 ± 4.7 vs. 5.5 ± 2.1, p = 0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corrosive injuries complicated with ES can be effectively and safely treated by EBD. However, the success rates declined significantly in patients with GOO with or without ES and amore complications occurred.
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Chih-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Keng-Liang
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Long-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ming-Luen
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Wei-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: King-Wah
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Seng-Kee
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chuah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000150:complications*; D002424:Caustics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004106:Dilatation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D017219:Gastric Outlet Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002424:Caustics