Abstract
Postoperative stricture of the upper gastrointestinal tract is one of the most difficult complications to be managed. Bougienage is useful as the primary therapy for benign esophageal strictures . But reoperation is chosen for the patient with a gastric anastomotic stricture whidh could not be relieved by conservative treatment. The purpose of this report is to introduced a new method using an endoscope and balloon dilator based on our experience with 5 patients with a benign stricture of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The patients in this trial were unable to take a liquid diet, even after a 2 to 3 week postsurgical period. The location of stricture were the gastrointestinal anastomosis after gastrectomy in 2 patients, the proximal small intestine after hemicolectomy in 2 patients and the pyloric ring of the stomach after papilloplasty in a patient. All patients were successfully dilated by the initial series of the dilation, and were remained to be asymptomatic during an average follow-up period of 7 months (range from 2 to 14 months). No complications were encountered. In the patient with a benign stricture who was considered to be reoperated in, endoscopic balloon dilation should be attempted as primary procedure .
