Endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) is a common therapeutic procedure performed for esophageal strictures. While the etiologies of esophageal strictures are numerous - including congenital strictures, caustic injuries and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) -anastomotic strictures following esophageal atresia and trachea-esophageal fistula repairs is reported as the most frequent cause in children.
Stricture dilatation is usually performed under direct endoscopic vision, with graduated balloon dilatation, utilizing increasing balloon diameters deployed until reaching a pre-determined, age-based, dilatation target. Balloon dilatation is repeated every 2-4 weeks until the target is reached. Success is defined as prolonged restoration of effective swallow with no dysphagia or dietary restrictions. Dilatation is repeated if clinical resolution is not obtained, or if symptoms return after initial resolution.
In children, a stricture is considered refractory when the age-appropriate esophageal lumen is not achieved with five dilatations within 5 months, or if despite ≥7 dilatations overall an age-appropriate esophageal lumen was not maintained.
Several interventions have been studied to improve the efficacy of balloon dilatation, including injecting corticosteroids at the dilatation site, topical Mitomycin C following dilatation, or pre-dilatation endoscopic incisions of the anastomotic scar tissue. All these interventions are performed endoscopically at the time of the dilatation, require advanced endoscopic skills and may potentially have associated additional risk.
In this study the investigators aim to test the efficacy and safety of topical budesonide gel following EBD for anastomotic esophageal strictures in a single-blinded, randomized controlled study of children.
Infants and children < 12 years old with an anastomotic esophageal stricture following repair of congenital esophageal atresia / tracheoesophageal fistula
Dysphagia score ≥1
Parental consent
Additional stricture/s besides anastomotic stricture eg. Congenital stricture
Complicated stricture - including length >2cm, significant angulation or irregularity
Neurological impairment or other cause of expected limitation to oral intake
Previous anastomotic dilatations
Parallel
Budesonide intervention
DrugPatients will receive budesonide gel (1mg/8mL) 250mcg orally twice daily for 12 weeks from the first dilatation.
The number of EBD procedures required to achieve clinical success.
The number of endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) procedures required to achieve clinical success (defined as effective swallowing without dysphagia or dietary restriction for 3 months) will be compared between the Budesonide and control groups.
Restenosis rate 6 months after last EBD performed
The rate of restenosis, defined clinically as a dysphagia score ≥1, will be compared between the Budesonide and control groups. Restenosis will be assessed following confirmation of clinical success.
Rate of refractory strictures
The rate of refractory strictures will be compared between the Budesonide and control groups. A stricture is considered refractory when the age-appropriate esophageal lumen is not achieved after five dilatations within 5 months, or after ≥7 dilatations in total.
Patient Weight
Weight gain trajectories will be compared between the Budesonide arm and the control arm to evaluate whether improved stricture resolution and swallowing function contribute to improved growth outcomes.
Dysphagia score
Dysphagia scores (modified dysphagia score and visual analogue scale) will be recorded at all scheduled follow-up visits to assess changes in swallowing function over time. Scores will be compared between the Budesonide and control groups to evaluate whether the intervention results in reduced severity of dysphagia. The modified dysphagia score, based on the Szegedi et al. scale, ranges from 0 (no swallowing problems) to 6 (aphagia), with increasing scores reflecting greater severity of swallowing impairment, from food avoidance or occasional difficulty to difficulty with semisolids, liquids, or complete inability to swallow.
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Shaare Zedek Medical Center
Lead sponsor
European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Collaborator
This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options:
