Clinical outcomes on weekly endoscopic dilations as the initial approach to manage patients with complex benign esophageal strictures: report on 488 dilations.

Background: Success rate of endoscopic dilation (ED) of complex benign esophageal strictures (CBES) can be as low as 65%. Since EDs are usually performed at 2-4-week intervals, the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of EDs done initially at weekly intervals.

Methods: A cohort of patients with CBES (luminal diameter < 10 mm) underwent ED at weekly intervals and subsequent dilation intervals adjusted based on response.