Strictures following gastric stapling for morbid obesity. Results of endoscopic dilatation

Gastric-restrictive operations for the treatment of morbid obesity are well established. Postoperative stricture is one complication of this procedure. In a large obesity practice, 40 patients presented with this complication. The authors reviewed retrospectively the management of these strictures, using endoscopic dilatation. All patients were morbidly obese, defined as greater than 100 pounds more than ideal weight. The original gastric-restrictive procedure included vertical-banded gastroplasty (35 patients); revision vertical-banded gastroplasty (2 patients); and revision of gastric bypass to vertical-banded gastroplasty (3 patients). Three methods were used: dilatation with endoscope, balloon dilatation, and Savary-Guilliard dilatation. Twenty-seven patients became asymptomatic after dilatation (68%). Occasionally, multiple dilatations were necessary. In 13 patients (32%), dilatation was unsuccessful and revision surgery was needed. In early postoperative (6 to 12 weeks) stricture, dilatation with the endoscope was often successful. When strictures were associated with an angulated channel, dilatation was almost uniformly unsuccessful. In summary, endoscopic dilatation for postgastroplasty strictures is a useful and effective technique, obviating the need for operative revision in the majority of patients; however, when the stenosis is associated with channel angulation, dilatation is almost uniformly unsuccessful. Such patients should not be subjected to repeated dilatation but rather proceed promptly to revision surgery.