Poor functional performance following bidirectional dilatation of severe post radiation oesophageal stricture

Bidirectional oesophageal dilatation for severe chemoradiation-induced oesophageal strictures is efficacious in improving luminal patency but ineffective in relieving functional dysphagia.

To assess the efficacy of bidirectional oesophageal dilatation in the severely strictured oesophagus induced by radiation therapy following the treatment of head and neck malignancies.

The study design was a case series in the setting of a tertiary cancer centre. We carried out a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent bidirectional oesophageal dilatation for oesophageal stricture secondary to radiation therapy for head and neck malignancies over a 5-year period. The parameters of the primary tumour, evaluation of preoperative and postoperative oesophageal dysfunction and complications of the procedure were evaluated.

There were nine episodes of bidirectional oesophageal dilatation among five patients with complete or severe oesophageal obstruction. Mean age was 63 years. The procedure was uneventful in all but one patient who was found to have postoperative mediastinitis, and healed completely. Four patients had persistent dysphagic symptoms despite post dilatation video fluoroscopy failing to reveal any significant narrowing of the oesophageal lumen.