Treatment of oesophageal strictures in children: a comparison of fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation with surgical bouginage.

Objective: To compare the technical feasibility and procedural complications of fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation with conventional surgical bouginage for the treatment of oesophageal strictures in children.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 125 balloon dilatations in 37 children with oesophageal strictures of varying aetiology. Twenty-four of the 37 children also underwent 88 procedures of surgical bouginage and comparison was made between the methods.

Results: Fluoroscopic balloon dilatation had fewer technical failures (0/125 vs. 4/88, P<0.02) and fewer iatrogenic perforations (2/125 vs. 5/88 P = 0.1) than surgical bouginage.

Conclusions: Fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation is safer and has fewer technical failures than surgical bouginage and should be considered the first line of treatment for oesophageal strictures in children.