[Esophageal dilatation by Savary-Guillard bougies in children]

Dilatations are considered the election treatment for esophageal stenosis of different etiologies. Different methods of dilatation have been used through the years. Security and effectiveness are the main subjects when we choose a dilatation method. We present the results of the last 3 years that Savary-Guilliard have been used, with a guide wire probe, under endoscopic control. Six patients with postsurgical stenosis and 10 with post lye ingestion stenosis were treated with the above mentioned method. The site of stenosis is localized under flexible endoscopy, and a special guide wire probe is introduced to the stomach. Once the wire is in place, different diameter bougies are introduced until a firm resistance is felt or the desired diameter is reach. In complicated cases the progression of the wire was controlled by X-rays. A total of 208 dilatations have done in 16 patients over the last three years. Six patients with postsurgical stenosis needed from two to six dilatations for their cure. Of the 10 patients who ingest lye, none of them had needed a gastrostomy. Three of them have no dysphagia after 9, 13 and 13 dilatations. The other 7 are under dilatations every 6 weeks in 6 cases and every 4 weeks in one case, been all of them in the second year of treatment. All the dilatations have been performed under general anesthesia, as outpatients. We have not had any complication under this treatment. We have found that the Savary-Guilliard method is adequate for esophageal dilatations in pediatric population. Security and effectiveness are the main points of this procedure, there is no need for a gastrostomy, and the child will have a better quality of life. This procedure is less aggressive, and this will give a shorter postop period, with no complications and the child will have a longer period of normal life between dilatations.