Stricture of the proximal esophagus in head and neck carcinoma patients after radiotherapy.

Background: It is well recognized that many patients with head and neck carcinoma have problems with food intake and malnutrition. The objective of the current study was to determine the clinical pattern of patients with nonneoplastic stricture of the upper esophagus after radiotherapy for head and neck carcinoma.

Methods: A retrospective chart study of 22 patients with stricture of the proximal esophagus diagnosed between 1993 and 1999 at Karolinska Hospital was performed.