Endoscopic Therapy - Dilation

On occasion stricture or narrowings within the gastrointestinal lumen (the hole in the middle where the food goes) may be best treated with dilation. Usually this is done by passing a special balloon through an endoscope (deflated) and then inflatting it within the narrowing. Each balloon is designed to stretch to a particular length and diameter at a given pressure. The pressure within the balloon can be read and adjusted by the team assisting the endoscopist. For conditions such as Achalasia special balloons may be used which are passed over a guide-wire beside the scope and then inflated either under direct vision (in view of the endoscopist) or under radiological guidance.