Endoscopic Dilation with Bougies Versus Balloons in Caustic Esophageal Strictures: 17-Year Experience from a Tertiary Care Center.

Endoscopic dilation is the preferred management strategy for caustic esophageal strictures (CES). However, the differences in outcome for different dilators are not clear. We compared the outcome of CES using bougie and balloon dilators. Between January 2000 and December 2016, the following data of all the patients with CES were collected: demographic parameters, substance ingestion, number of strictures, number of dilations required to achieve ≥ 14 mm dilation, post-dilation recurrence, and total dilations. Patients were divided into two groups for the type of dilator, i.e., bougie or balloon. The two groups were compared for baseline parameter, technical success, short- and long-term clinical success, refractory strictures, recurrence rates, and major complications. Of the 189 patients (mean age 32.17 ± 12.12 years) studied, 119 (62.9