LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF ENDOSCOPIC DILATION OF NONMALIGNANT PYLORIC-STENOSIS

Although the immediate success of endoscopic balloon dilation of nonma lignant and noncongenital pyloric stenosis is known, little informatio n is available on the long-term results of such therapy. Of 19 patient s who underwent this treatment at our institution for gastric outlet o bstruction, 3 (16%) experienced sustained relief and 16 (84%) had a re currence of symptoms during a median follow-up period of 45 months. Tw elve of the patients who had a recurrence of gastric outlet obstructiv e symptoms required further therapy. Our results suggest that if follo wed for a prolonged period of time, patients who have undergone endosc opic balloon dilation of nonmalignant pyloric stenosis have a high rec urrence rate of symptomatic gastric outlet obstruction.