Endoscopic Dilation with Medical Therapy for Benign Gastric-Outlet Obstruction

Gastric-outlet obstruction is a common complication of peptic ulcer disease (PUD). For several decades, the treatment of choice for this complication has been surgery, but, more recently, effective medical therapy has reduced the need for surgical treatment. Endoscopic balloon dilation of PUD scarring to relieve gastric-outlet obstruction often is successful initially, but many patients ultimately require surgery for definitive treatment. Investigators in the U.K. now suggest that aggressive treatment of the underlying cause of ulcers can reduce the need for surgery after endoscopic balloon dilation.

To evaluate this issue, they retrospectively reviewed the records of 23 consecutive patients who developed PUD-related gastric-outlet obstructi…