title: Retrievable Z-stents for the treatment of refractory corrosive esophageal strictures in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of retrievable esophageal stents represents a new method to avoid multiple dilations for stenosis recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with a retrievable covered Z-stent for corrosive esophageal stenosis in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 15 children were enrolled in this study. All patients had undergone balloon catheter dilatation (BCD) but without significant symptomatic improvement. A retrievable Z-stent was placed, and the dysphagia score was evaluated. After stent removal, healing was considered to have occurred if the score was 0 to 1 for at least 12 continuous months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stents were placed in all children without complications and were later removed successfully. Stents remained in situ for 4 to 8 weeks (mean, 7.4 weeks). Dysphagia scores decreased from 3 to 4 to 0 to 1 in all patients while the stent was in place. During the 12-month follow-up period, seven patients remained free from dysphagia, but eight children had recurrent stenosis and required a subsequent BCD to alleviate symptoms from the stricture. Six of them required placement of a second stent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of a retrievable Z-stent is an effective method and may become the treatment of choice for corrosive esophageal stenosis in children.
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Jiahe
authors: J
authors: Zheng
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Zhihui
authors: Z
authors: Chang
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Zhaoyu
authors: Z
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Zaiming
authors: Z
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Zhao
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Yujia
authors: Y
authors: Ma
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Chuanzhuo
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors: Qiyong
authors: Q
authors: Guo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000150:complications; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D020878:Device Removal; D004106:Dilatation; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome