Triple intramural dexamethasone injections increase the efficiency of endoscopic bougienage of esophageal re-stenosis and anastomosis

Purpose of the study. To analyze retrospectively our own experience of using intramural dexamethasone injections during endoscopic bougienage of recurrent or very tight (refractory) benign cicatricial strictures of the esophagus and esophageal anastomoses.

Materials and methods. From 2013 to March 2021, this method was applied in 43 patients (26 — men, 17 — women) with peptic (11), cicatricial (8), burn (6) esophageal strictures and strictures of anastomoses (18) prone to restenosis. Dexamethasone was injected into the constricted area with a needle passed through the endoscope biopsy channel as an addition to supportive bougienage.

Results. After dexamethasone injections, 41 (95.3%) of 43 patients achieved a satisfactory lumen diameter, at which the symptoms of dysphagia disappeared for a long time without relapse. In most patients, the lumen in the stricture zone stabilized at a diameter of 8–18 mm (average 13 mm). With strictures of the esophagus, it was possible to achieve a diameter of 8–14 mm (average 11 mm), and with strictures of the anastomoses — 10–18 mm (average 14 mm).

Conclusion. With the tendency of stricture to restenosis, the standard algorithm for endoscopic bougienage, developed in the endoscopy department of the “Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery”, was supplemented with intramural injections of dexamethasone. This combined endoscopic treatment made it possible to increase the diameter of the bougie and the intervals between bougienage due to the stabilization of the scar frame and to complete the endoscopic treatment with a satisfactory result in 95.3% of patients.

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