Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: To evaluate the role of esophageal wall thickness (EWT) on computed tomography (CT) in predicting response to endoscopic dilatation of corrosive esophageal strictures. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. A review of the records of patients who underwent endoscopic dilatation of esophageal strictures between January 2010 and December 2017 was performed. Patients who had a CT evaluation prior to dilatations were included. CT-EWT was measured at the maximum visible point. Clinical details and endoscopic dilatation parameters were recorded. Technical success, clinical success, and recurrent and refractory strictures were recorded. CT-EWT and the clinical parameters were evaluated regarding their role in predicting the number of dilatations required to achieve technical and clinical success. RESULTS: A total of 250 patients underwent endoscopic dilatations during the study period; 84 patients underwent thoracoabdominal CT. Complete clinical, endoscopic, CT data and follow up were available for 64 patients. There were 36 males. The median age was 30 years (range, 14-70 years). A total of 750 dilatations were performed. The median number of dilatations required to achieve technical success was 8.5 (range, 1-51). Dilatations were performed after a median period of 3 months (range, 1-40). Median CT-EWT was 7 mm (range, 3-22). On univariate, as well as multivariate, analysis, CT-EWT and the clinical parameters were found to be poor predictors of the number of dilatations required to achieve technical and clinical success. CONCLUSION: CT-EWT has no additional role in predicting response to the endoscopic dilatation of corrosive esophageal strictures.