ndoscopic Retrograde Dilation of Completely cclusive Esophageal Strictures

t p a o Background. Completely occlusive esophageal stricures may develop after head and neck radiotherapy or sophagectomy with gastric or colonic interposition. Maor surgical intervention may be required to restore limentary tract patency when endoscopic lumen recontitution is not feasible by routine antegrade endoscopy. etrograde endoscopic lumen identification and dilation s a useful method to reestablish alimentary tract paency, thereby avoiding surgical intervention. Methods. Patients requiring endoscopic dilation for ompletely occlusive esophageal strictures were identied by the gastroenterology, thoracic, and head and neck ervices. Retrograde access was obtained by balloon ilation of either a jejunostomy or gastrostomy tract, and n endoscope was passed to the area of stricture. Anterade and retrograde endoscopy were performed simulaneously. A guidewire was passed either retrograde or ntegrade under direct endoscopic visualization, fol-