The management of esophageal strictures in children.

During a 10-year period from 1982 to 1992, 36 children and infants were treated for esophageal stricture. The severity of the stricture was indicated by the degree of feeding intolerance manifested by delays in growth and development and confirmed by fluoroscopy and endoscopy. Their ages ranged from one month to seven years. During the first eight years, the initial treatment was the conventional use of Savory dilators. Balloon dilatation was applied in all patients with esophageal stricture during the last two years. According to the etiology of the stricture, patients were divided into three groups. Group A: (seven patients) due to peptic esophagitis following persistent gastroesophageal reflux (GER). Group B: (15 patients) following ingestion of corrosive material. All had severe strictures; two had stomach outlet obstruction in addition. Group C: (14 patients) following repair of esophageal atresia. There was no mortality; however, overall morbidity was 5.5%, as one patient had esophageal perforation during the initial esophageal dilatation and one patient developed anastomotic leak.