Esophageal stenosis after endoscopic mucosal resection of superficial esophageal lesions

Although bleeding and perforation are generally recognized major complications of endoscopic mucosal resection, esophageal stricture after endoscopic mucosal resection has not been well studied. Factors associated with the occurrence and severity of esophageal stenosis after endoscopic mucosal resection were investigated.

Two hundred sixteen superficial esophageal lesions in 137 consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic mucosal resection from February 1993 through March 2001 were retrospectively studied. The circumferential extent of the mucosal defect after endoscopic mucosal resection was classified into 4 groups: under one fourth, one fourth to one half, one half to three fourths, and over three fourths. The longitudinal length of the mucosal defect was also evaluated. Stenosis was diagnosed when a standard endoscope (11-mm diameter) could not be passed through the stricture.

Esophageal stenosis developed after endoscopic mucosal resection of 13 lesions (6.0%). In all these cases endoscopic mucosal resection resulted in a mucosal defect that involved over three fourths of the luminal circumference. In the subgroup of patients with mucosal defects involving over three fourths of the circumference, those with a mucosal defect over 30 mm long required more frequent balloon dilatation (mean 8 [4.3] times) and the stenosis was of longer duration (mean 16 [17.7] months) than those with defects 30 mm or less in length (respectively, 1 [0.6] times and 2 [1.9] months).

A circumferential mucosal defect involving over three fourths the circumference of the esophagus after endoscopic mucosal resection was significantly associated with the subsequent development of esophageal stenosis. In addition, mucosal defects longer than 30 mm were associated with greater severity of stenosis. When endoscopic mucosal resection is performed for superficial esophageal lesions, removal of excess mucosa should be avoided.