Otpatient esophageal dilatation – pro
This is a procedure that can be done on an outpatient basis. Minor complications during the procedure are bleeding and chest pain. There may also be respiratory depression from oversedation. Such minor complications can be handled with the patient in an outpatient setting. Major complication basically means rupture of the esophagus. Such rupture can occur immediately during the procedure, when the patient usually experiences sharp and persistent pain. The symptoms, however, can be insidious and therefore many prefer to regularly do a barium or gastrografin swallow after dilatation. However, the insidious course also includes the possibility of late ruptures. In these patients the rupture may occur hours or even days
after the dilatation .[However, it has been shown that early and late esophageal ruptures do predominantly occur in patients who had undergone several dilatations. Many patients experience immediate symptom relief, i.e., they can eat normally. However, the patient should be instructed to take liquids and only soft food during the day after the procedure and return to solid food the morning after.
Dilatation of peptic strictures of the esophagus is an outpatient procedure that can be safely done in a cooperative patient, who has been carefully instructed about possible late complications and who can reach his physician easily during the next few days after the procedure.
de Wijkerslooth LR, Vleggaar FP, Siersema PD. Endoscopic management of difficult or recurrent esophageal strictures. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011 Dec. 106(12):2080-91
Thyoka M, Barnacle A, Chippington S, et al. Fluoroscopic balloon dilation of esophageal atresia anastomotic strictures in children and young adults: single-center study of 103 consecutive patients from 1999 to 2011. Radiology. 2014 May. 271(2):596-601.