Retrograde esophageal balloon dilatation: salvage treatment of caustic-induced stricture

A 14-month-old boy with severe esophageal strictures following ingestion of potassium hydroxide is described. Initially, treatment was by surgical bougienage but following esophageal perforation, 65 balloon dilatations were performed over an 8-month period using a retrograde approach via a feeding gastrostomy without anesthesia or sedation. A further nine dilatations in the following 6 months were performed using a per-oral approach after establishment of full oral nutrition and removal of the gastrostomy. The main advantage of the retrograde approach was the large number of dilatations that could be performed without anesthesia in an infant. This has allowed nonoperative treatment of a high grade caustic esophageal stricture which would otherwise have required esophageal replacement.