title: Intramuscular injection of mitomycin C combined with endoscopic dilation for benign esophageal strictures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intramuscular injection of either mitomycin C or dexamethasone with endoscopic dilation for benign esophageal strictures after esophageal surgery or endoscopic submucosal dissection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with benign esophageal strictures were retrospectively enrolled in this study and divided into three groups: mitomycin C group (mitomycin C injection with endoscopic dilation, dexamethasone group (dexamethasone injection and dilation) and dilation group (physiological saline injection and dilation). The patients' characteristics, locations of lesions, number of previous dilations, esophageal diameters after dilation, grades of dysphagia before and after the procedure and dysphagia-free period during the follow-up period were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether 74 patients including 25 in the mitomycin C group, 25 in the dexamethasone group and 24 in the dilation group were enrolled. The diameter of the esophagus before the procedure was 3.32 ± 0.90 mm, 3.92 ± 1.55 mm and 3.70 ± 1.30 mm, respectively, while that was increased to 12.77 ± 1.62 mm, 12.14 ± 1.28 mm and 12.73 ± 1.42 mm after endoscopic dilation in the mitomycin C, dexamethasone and conventional dilation groups. The dysphagia-free period was 4.88 ± 1.66 months in the mitomycin C group, 4.02 ± 1.77 months in the dexamethasone group and 2.41 ± 1.26 months in the dilation group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intramuscular injection of mitomycin C or dexamethasone may prolong the dysphagia-free period and decrease the frequency of repeat dilations compared with conventional endoscopic dilations in patients with benign esophageal strictures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Disease, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.|Department of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Center for Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Endoscopy, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Endoscopy, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Disease, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Endoscopy, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhi Ning
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016685:Mitomycin; D003907:Dexamethasone
keywords: benign esophageal stricture; dexamethasone; endoscopic dilation; mitomycin C