Endoscopic Procedures for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Lesions and a Brief Review of Literature

Abstract

Introduction:We evaluated the efficacy, safety, short- and long-term results of balloon, bougie dilatations and self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) procedures in benign and malignant obstruction of upper gastrointestinal tract (UGIT) in the last 6 years of the tertiary referral center.Methods:This study is a retrospective review of all patients who underwent bougie, balloon dilatation and SEMS procedures because of benign or malignant lesions of UGIT from January 2014 to 2020 in a tertiar referral center. The demographics of patients, indications, technical and clinical success, complications and surveillance records were collected from the hospital database system.Results:In the last 6 years, a total of 530 procedures, including 209 SEMS (152 SEMS placement, 57 SEMS removal), 297 bougie dilatation (Savary-Gilliard), 20 balloon dilatation and 4 percutan endoscopic gastrostomy procedures, were performed for 140 patients in our clinic. Eighty-nine patients were male and 51 patients were female and the median age of the patients was 59.6 years. The technical success rate with SEMS was 98% and the clinical success rate was 93.5% when it was provided for oral intake and purpose. The complication rate was 12% (n=64), immediate and early complication rates were 7.16% (n=38), and the late complication rate was 4.9% (n=26).Conclusion:Serial dilatation with a balloon or bougie and SEMS can be successfully applied to UGIT fistulas and strictures without increasing complication rates.

Keywords

• endoscopic balloon and bougie dilatation
• self-expandable metallic stent
• upper gastrointestinal strictures