BALLOON OR BOUGIE FOR DILATATION OF BENIGN ESOPHAGEAL STRICTURE

Ninety-three adult patients With benign esophageal stricture were rand omized to receive balloon or bougie dilatation. Eighty-five patients w ere eligible for analysis and were followed prospectively for a year. Twenty-four patients required repeat dilatation within a year,: but 50 patients completed a year's follow-up without further dilatation. The bougie group initially had a better symptomatic result, experiencing significantly less dysphagia at five months, although this difference had disappeared at one year. Eighteen patients in the balloon group re quired redilatation for symptoms compared with six in the bougie group . The bougie group had a significantly greater increase in their struc ture diameter, and this was still present at one year after dilatation . There was no significant difference in safety or patient acceptabili ty. Balloons are probably more costly to use than bougies. Bougie dila tation is to be preferred to balloon dilatation in adults except in sp ecial circumstances.