Pediatric esophageal stricture

What is a pediatric esophageal stricture?

An esophageal stricture is a tight or narrowed area in the esophagus – the “food tube” that connects the mouth to the stomach. This condition can make it difficult for liquid and food to pass through the esophagus.

What are the signs and symptoms of of a pediatric esophageal stricture?

• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Pain when swallowing (odynophagia)
• Spitting up food or liquids (regurgitation)
• Coughing or gagging when swallowing
• Feeling of food getting stuck in the throat
• Frequent choking on foods
• Frequent heartburn
• Unexpected weight loss

How is a pediatric esophageal stricture diagnosed?

Our pediatric gastroenterologists (specialists in digestive disorders) have extensive training and expertise in caring for children who have esophageal strictures.

We use advanced testing to diagnose pediatric esophageal strictures, including:

• Upper endoscopy - This test involves placing an endoscope (thin tube with a camera) into the mouth and down through the esophagus to view inside.
• Esophagram (barium swallow or “upper GI”) - For this procedure, your child will drink a special liquid that shows up on X-rays. We then take a chest X-ray, and the barium shows the shape and size of the esophagus more clearly.

What causes a pediatric esophageal stricture?

Typical causes of esophageal strictures in children include:

• Injuries to the esophagus from accidentally swallowing small objects or harmful chemicals with lye, such as bleach, laundry detergents or batteries
• Scar tissue from a previous surgery on the esophagus
• Long-term use of a feeding tube

Conditions that damage or cause inflammation in the esophagus lining, such as:

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) 
• Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)

How is a pediatric esophageal stricture treated?

• Medication - Our gastroenterologists may prescribe medication for your child to treat conditions that are causing the stricture, such as GERD or eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
• Esophageal dilation - At Children’s Health, our pediatric gastroenterologists usually treat esophageal strictures with a procedure called esophageal dilation. To start, we will insert an endoscope into your child’s mouth and down into the esophagus. We then insert a tiny, deflated balloon through the tube and inflate it just enough to stretch the narrowed area.
  • Stent - In some cases, we place a small tube-like device (stent) in the esophagus to keep it open as it heals. Our gastroenterologists remove the stent later in a follow-up procedure.