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Suggest Treatment For Esophageal Stricture Near Stomach In Child
Question: My son is 2 years old and currently has an esophageal stricture near the entrance of his stomach. We are getting it treated via dialation with a ballon by a pediatric gastrointerologist. My question is that everytime we go to the hospital to get the procedure done, each time it seems to be only opened by 2-4 mm. Is this normal? The first time they did the procedure his esophagus was at 4mm and was dilated to 8 mm. The 2nd time it went from 8mm to 10mm. Is the doctor being too cautious? Or can she be more agressive with the dialations?
When will he be able to start eating solid food? At how many milimeters? He is currently on a liquid/puree diet.
When will he be able to start eating solid food? At how many milimeters? He is currently on a liquid/puree diet.
Brief Answer:
The doctor is doing just right. You would have to be patient.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone carefully through the details as well as the attached images. I do not think that your doctor is being overprotective. There is a guideline of going for no greater than 3 consecutive dilators in increments of 1 mm by passage of balloon(s) in a single session. So, 2-4 mm is absolutely fine and acceptable. I do not think that being more aggressive would be a good idea.
Patients with an esophageal stricture characteristically have difficulty in swallowing solids but generally have no difficulty in swallowing liquids. So, till the stricture is relieved, he would continue to have this problem. So, the diameter of the constricted portion in mm should be close to the rest of the esophagus.
Regards
The doctor is doing just right. You would have to be patient.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone carefully through the details as well as the attached images. I do not think that your doctor is being overprotective. There is a guideline of going for no greater than 3 consecutive dilators in increments of 1 mm by passage of balloon(s) in a single session. So, 2-4 mm is absolutely fine and acceptable. I do not think that being more aggressive would be a good idea.
Patients with an esophageal stricture characteristically have difficulty in swallowing solids but generally have no difficulty in swallowing liquids. So, till the stricture is relieved, he would continue to have this problem. So, the diameter of the constricted portion in mm should be close to the rest of the esophagus.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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