Endoscopic treatment of benign anastomotic esophageal stenosis with electrocautery. 
Stricture of the esophagus following surgical resection is uncommon.  Several methods have been described for treatment of this entity, but the therapeutic success may be impaired either by poor long-term results or by poor acceptance by patients.  Even the high cost of the therapeutic management may represent a problem.  We describe the use of electrocautery to treat benign anastomotic esophageal stenosis.  Six unselected consecutive patients (four men, two women; mean age 68.3, range 54 - 82) with stenosis following esophagojejunostomy were enrolled in this trial.  Postoperative stenoses were shown endoscopically (four patients) or radiographically (two patients).  We performed endoscopic dilation of the strictures using electrocautery.  In all patients we obtained dilation of the strictures, without any immediate or delayed procedure-related complication.  No recurrence of the stenosis was demonstrated during a mean 24-month follow-up (range 8 - 33 months).  This study showed that endoscopic electrocautery is a safe and effective treatment for benign anastomotic esophageal stenosis.