Role of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in management of benign esophageal strictures

BACKGROUND EUS, as it images the full thickness of the gastrointestinal tract wall, could provide more detailed information on benign esophageal strictures. Aim of this study was to evaluate the role of EUS in predicting the response to endoscopic dilatation in benign esophageal strictures. METHODS 27 patients with benign strictures (corrosive 14, peptic 10 & post-radiation 3) were prospectively studied with radial EUS. RESULTS The maximum esophageal wall thickness was significantly greater in patients with corrosive and post-radiation strictures in comparison to patients with peptic strictures. In patients with peptic stricture, the mucosal thickness involved either the mucosa (n=2) or submucosa (n=8) and in none of the patients was the muscularis propria involved. However, muscularis propria was involved in all 3 patients with post-radiation strictures and in 11/14 (78.5%) patients with corrosive strictures. Two peptic stricture patients with only mucosal thickening required a single session of dilatation whereas patients with involvement of submucosa required 2-4 sessions of dilatation. Patients with corrosive stricture having only involvement of submucosa required significantly fewer sessions in comparison to patients having muscularis propria involvement (2.67±0.58 vs. 6.30±1.16 sessions, respectively; p=0.0003). CONCLUSION EUS by delineating the extent of wall involvement in benign esophageal strictures predicts the response to endoscopic dilatation.