XXXX of benign and malignant esophageal strictures. @entity384 .

@entity1 @entity384 @entity349 @entity1282
Balloon esophageal dilatation offers many theoretical advantages (safety, speed, and @entity1 comfort) over dilatation with @entity349 -filled bougies or with the Eder-Puestow system. The authors used balloon dilators in 22 @entity1 with @entity1282 secondary to benign or malignant strictures. Dilatation was performed with fluoroscopic guidance, blindly, or by a combination of these techniques. For "blind" @entity384 , an Eder-Puestow spring-tipped guide wire is placed into the stomach using a fiberoptic endoscope. The distance from the incisor teeth to the stricture is measured, and the balloon shaft is marked to indicate when the middle of the balloon is within the stricture. Dilatation is then performed using the antegrade or, the preferred, retrograde technique. Finally, the dilated stricture is calibrated by pulling an inflated balloon through the previously strictured area without difficulty. An attempt was made to achieve an esophageal diameter of 15 mm at the initial dilatation episode, and @entity1 discomfort was used as a guide as to the final diameter. The balloon dilatation technique was highly successful, and a stricture diameter of 15 mm (45-47 French) was achieved at the initial dilatation in most instances. Malignant strictures were easily dilated. @entity384 is convenient, effective, quick, and potentially safer than the previous Eder-Puestow or @entity349 -filled bougie techniques.
