Radiologically guided balloon dilation of gastrointestinal strictures. Part II. Results of long-term follow-up.

Balloon dilation catheters were used to treat 94 gastrointestinal strictures in 92 patients over a 6-year period. Long-term follow-up data were obtained for 80 of these patients, with a mean follow-up period of 389 days. Overall, of the patients who underwent a successful dilation procedure, 83% remained symptom free after 1 year, and 69% after 2 years. The location of the stricture did not significantly influence the long-term outcome, nor did procedure characteristics, aside from primary technical failure. Both patients with malignant strictures and those whose strictures were associated with an anastomosis were more likely than other patients to have recurrent symptoms.