Fluoroscopically guided balloon dilation for pharyngoesophageal stricture after radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancer.

Objective: The purpose of this article is to assess the safety and long-term efficacy of fluoroscopically guided balloon dilation for pharyngoesophageal strictures after radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancers.
Materials and Methods: From April 1997 to February 2009, fluoroscopically guided balloon dilation was performed in 17 patients with pharyngoesophageal strictures caused by radiation therapy. Technical success, clinical success (decrease of at least one grade in dysphagia score and good contrast passage on 1-month follow-up esophagogram), recurrence of dysphagia, and complications related to the procedure were retrospectively evaluated.
Results: All 17 patients underwent 41 balloon dilation procedures, with each patient undergoing one to seven procedures (mean, 2.4 procedures). The technical success rate was 100%, and clinical success was achieved in 64.7% (11/17) of the patients. Five patients (29.4%) showed no recurrence of dysphagia after one session of balloon dilation. Of 12 patients (70.6%) with recurrence of dysphagia, 10 underwent repeat balloon dilation and two underwent gastrostomy after the first session of balloon dilation. The maximum balloon diameters were 15 mm (n = 22), 20 mm (n = 16), and 25 mm (n = 3). As minor complications, three cases of type 1 esophageal rupture occurred in two patients (11.8%). There were no major complications.
Conclusion: Although the recurrence rate was high with repeat balloon dilation, fluoroscopically guided balloon dilation seems to be a simple and safe primary treatment technique for pharyngoesophageal stricture due to radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancer.