The natural restricturing process after dilatation of peptic esophageal strictures.

The study analyzes the natural esophageal restricturing process after dilatation of peptic esophageal strictures. Fifty patients (male/female: 30/20) with median age 71 years (range 20-87) with peptic esophageal strictures were dilated with hydrostatic balloons to 20 mm and followed up for 12 months. Stricture size was measured with a 'balloon pull-through' technique before the dilatations, and at follow-ups after 6 and 12 months. The restricturing rate was defined as the difference in stricture diameter at two measurements divided by the time interval. The mean restricturing rate during the first and last 6 month periods were 0.99 and 0.02 mm/month respectively (P < 0.001), and during the first 6 months the restricturing rates were 1.98 and 0.69 mm/month in patients redilated and not redilated respectively (P < 0.001). A tight stricture at the initial dilatation, a long history of reflux symptoms and a short history of dysphagia were all significantly related to a high restricturing during the first 6 months (P < 0.001).