Yang SH, Ren HF, Chen X, Wang R, Zhang MG. Refractory esophageal stenosis after endoscopic submucosal dissection for esophageal cancer managed with multiple dilations: A case report. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(11): 110828 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i11.110828]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Hong-Fei Ren, PhD, Chief Nurse, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Lane, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. renhongfei1988@126.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Nov 15, 2025 (publication date) through Nov 13, 2025
Times Cited of This Article
Times Cited (0)
Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology
ISSN
1948-5204
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
Share the Article
Yang SH, Ren HF, Chen X, Wang R, Zhang MG. Refractory esophageal stenosis after endoscopic submucosal dissection for esophageal cancer managed with multiple dilations: A case report. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2025; 17(11): 110828 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v17.i11.110828]
Shu-Hui Yang, Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Shu-Hui Yang, Hong-Fei Ren, Xia Chen, Rui Wang, Ming-Guang Zhang, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Hong-Fei Ren, Xia Chen, Rui Wang, Ming-Guang Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Yang SH, Ren HF, Chen X, Wang R, and Zhang MG designed the research study; Yang SH, Ren HF, and Chen X performed the research and revised the manuscript; Yang SH analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hong-Fei Ren, PhD, Chief Nurse, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Lane, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. renhongfei1988@126.com
Received: June 19, 2025 Revised: July 15, 2025 Accepted: October 15, 2025 Published online: November 15, 2025 Processing time: 148 Days and 21.9 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Esophageal cancer is a clinically common malignant tumor of the digestive system. In 2022, it ranked fifth among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in China. Its predominant symptom is dysphagia, and approximately 30%–40% of patients are prone to developing postoperative recurrent stenosis, necessitating repeated esophageal dilation, which significantly affects patients’ quality of life. The self-dilation technique, performed by patients, enables preventive esophageal dilation and aims to reduce the frequency of recurrent stenosis.
CASE SUMMARY
We report the case of a 61-year-old man who underwent repeated esophageal dilations following endoscopic submucosal dissection. During his eighth hospital admission, a multidisciplinary management team was established to implement an evidence-based self-help balloon dilation technique, facilitate early identification of nursing concerns and complications, and provide transitional care following discharge. The patient reported a high level of satisfaction during the hospital stay. During the 6-month follow-up after discharge, the patient’s quality of life improved, with a substantial reduction in dysphagia. The esophageal stricture was successfully dilated from 5 mm to 6 mm, the interval between readmissions was prolonged, and the patient’s weight increased from 49 kg to 50 kg.
CONCLUSION
The establishment of a multidisciplinary case management team, combined with the implementation of a self-help balloon dilation technique, early identification and management of nursing issues and complications, and personalized extended care, can significantly enhance patient satisfaction during hospitalization, improve quality of life, and extend the interval between readmissions. These strategies can provide valuable practical guidance for the clinical treatment and nursing of patients with recurrent esophageal stenosis.
Core Tip: By meticulously documenting the patient’s stenosis recurrence patterns, procedural details (such as balloon dilation), and treatment efficacy, this case report provides clinicians with standardized procedural protocols and evidence-based decision-making references for clinical practice. By demonstrating multidisciplinary collaboration across gastroenterology, head and neck surgery, nutrition, and pain management specialties, this case study proposes a replicable collaborative model that optimizes clinical outcomes through coordinated care pathways for complex patient management. This case report addresses the literature gap in managing refractory stenosis following endoscopic submucosal dissection and offers clinical evidence to inform guideline updates through systematic documentation of therapeutic interventions.
