An easy and safe modified method of endoscopic balloon dilation for postgastrectomy anastomotic stricture.

An easy and safe modified method for endoscopic balloon dilation was performed 24 times for 16 patients who had undergone subtotal gastrectomy without any ensuing complications. The balloon dilator was simply attached to the ultraslender forward-viewing fiberscope just above the flexible portion. The balloon dilator can be easily placed into the stricture by advancing the fiberscope into the duodenum under direct vision. The present technique is particularly useful for the tortuous stricture of B-I anastomosis after a surgical procedure for carcinoma of the stomach, as opposed to using the conventional bougie or previous balloon techniques. This method may also be useful for other kinds of complicated stricture of the upper or lower part of the gastrointestinal tract.