Tracheal stenosis is a common complication of endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Bronchoscope interventions have been proposed as a safe alternative for the management of post-intubation post-intubation tracheal stenosis (PITS). Data for patients diagnosed with PITS across two hospitals, between 2021 and 2022, encompassing demographic, clinical, and procedural details were gathered from electronic medical records, and analysed. Primary outcomes centred on assessing the incidence and severity of PITS through bronchoscope examination and radiological imaging, and the efficacy of bronchoscope interventions, including stenting and the application of mitomycin C. Twelve patients were managed for PITS. Majority of patients were females (9/12) with mean age of 46.41 years. Presenting signs and symptoms were dyspnea, rhonchi and failed extubation, the mean duration of intubation/ tracheostomy is 16.41 days (range: 3-40 days). Most common comorbidity was type 2 diabetes, (5 patients, 41.6%). The lesions mean length was 3.09 cm and Cotton-Meyer Grade II and III. Prompt evaluation is crucial, in these patients. The Cotton-Meyer grade is pivotal in treatment decisions, with intubating times correlating with the severity of stenotic disease. Our case series demonstrates the increasing utility of bronchoscopy in managing these cases.

The IMPELLA 5.5 (Abiomed Inc., Danvers, Massachusetts, United States) is a catheter-based, micro-axial blood pump designed to enhance organ perfusion in patients with cardiogenic shock. Despite its superior hemodynamic support, vascular complications are a significant concern, with many patients needing to discontinue IMPELLA therapy due to these issues. Patients may even require surgical intervention to address device-related vascular injuries. The IMPELLA 5.5 implantation in vessels with severe calcification is particularly associated with complications such as vascular calcification, stenosis, vascular tortuosity, and the use of larger sheaths are risk factors following endovascular therapy and IMPELLA implantation. In this report, we present a case of severe calcification in the right subclavian artery, in which the IMPELLA 5.5 was lodged. The calcifications protruded into the vascular lumen, becoming lodged between the IMPELLA motor and the cannula, complicating extraction despite the vessel having sufficient diameter. We successfully removed the device using a balloon dilation technique, ensuring safe extraction. No vascular complications such as pseudoaneurysm or dissection were observed in the right subclavian artery one month after extraction. This case highlights a potential approach for managing similar complications and vascular access for IMPELLA insertion.

Objectives  This study reported a single-center clinical trial of endovascular treatment for symptomatic nonacute occlusion of the intracranial large artery (NA-ILAO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and clinical effect of simple balloon dilatation and stent implantation. Methods  The patients diagnosed with symptomatic NA-ILAO were enrolled. A total of 40 cases were included in this study. While recanalization failed in 4 patients, it was successful in 36 patients, who were then divided into two groups for further analysis: balloon dilatation group ( n  = 24) and stent implantation group ( n  = 12). The perioperative complications, clinical outcome, and follow-up results were analyzed. Results  Perioperative complications in the stent implantation group were significantly higher than those in the simple balloon dilatation group ( p  < 0.05). There were 21 and 10 cases of 90-day good clinical outcome (modified Rankin scale [mRS] ≤ 2) in the balloon and stent groups, respectively ( p  = 0.518). All patients with successful recanalization underwent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) or CT angiography (CTA) during an average follow-up of 14 months. There were two cases of restenosis in the balloon dilatation group and one in the stent implantation group ( p  = 1.000). There were two cases of re-occlusion in the stent group and none in the balloon dilatation group ( p  < 0.001). Stroke recurred in two cases in the stent group and in one case in the simple balloon dilatation group ( p  = 0.013). Conclusion  Endovascular recanalization is safe and feasible for patients with symptomatic NA-ILAO. Compared with stent implantation, simple balloon dilation may be a better recanalization method, but larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm it.

A case of an 84-year-old man diagnosed with \"probable sarcopenic dysphagia\" using the sarcopenic dysphagia diagnostic algorithm is presented. The patient demonstrated improved upper esophageal sphincter (UES) passage by the immediate effect of balloon dilatation. He had suffered a myocardial infarction and was unable to eat orally for approximately a month, presenting with sarcopenia and severe dysphagia, as indicated by the Food Intake LEVEL Scale (FILS) score of 1. Videofluoroscopic examination of swallowing study at 67 hospital days revealed impaired UES opening, with food bolus unable to pass through the UES. After confirming the loss of the gag reflex, we performed balloon dilatation, resulting in improved UES passage. With swallowing rehabilitation using balloon dilatation and appropriate nutritional therapy, the patient progressed to full oral intake and achieved FILS score of 8. This case suggests the effectiveness of combined nutritional therapy and swallowing rehabilitation with balloon dilatation in managing sarcopenic dysphagia. In addition, balloon dilatation could be applied for patients with sarcopenic dysphagia presenting impaired UES opening.

Achalasia is a chronic and rare disorder of esophageal motility. It is characterized by spastic or absent esophageal contractions and impairment of relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. Treatment modalities include smooth muscle-relaxing medications, botulinum toxin injections to lower the esophageal sphincter, pneumatic dilatation, and surgical interventions. Pneumatic dilatation is deemed to be an effective treatment option and is the most widely used non-surgical intervention. We designed this prospective study to look for any possible correlation between balloon pressure used in pneumatic dilatation, manometric findings, and patient characteristics. And to find any possible association between the need for repeat pneumatic dilatations and factors like gender, age, duration of symptoms, Eckardt score, daily retrosternal pain, manometric findings, and balloon pressures. Thirty-one patients with confirmed achalasia were enrolled in the study. All of these patients underwent pneumatic dilatation. Pearson\'s correlation coefficient was found to be 0.234 (p-value 0.23) between the required balloon pressure and integrated relaxation pressure (IRP). Six of these patients required repeat pneumatic dilatations. No statistically significant association was noted between the need for repeat intervention and gender, age over 40, age under 20, Eckardt score over 10, daily chest pain, duration of symptoms over two years, and IRP over 30 mmHg. In conclusion, it could be said that pneumatic dilatation does not carry a 100% success rate, and repeat sessions are needed in many of the patients with achalasia. So, long-term follow-up is crucial. Managing expectations and making a realistic plan with proper informational care is important at the beginning of treatment.

Acquired subglottic stenosis is a common complication of endotracheal intubation in infants. The risk increases in trisomy 21, patients undergoing bypass surgery, and having gastroesophageal reflux disease. Less invasive endoscopic balloon dilatation of subglottic stenosis has become a more common treatment modality compared to open surgical technique. Airway-related surgery needs meticulous preparation and good communication between the anesthetist, surgeon, and staff. More precaution and more effective preparation and communication are needed in neonatal airway surgery as it is physiologically easier to desaturate and develop hypoxemia compared to adults. We report a case of successful balloon dilation of Myer-Cotton class III subglottic stenosis with intermittent supraglottic jet ventilation and bag-mask ventilation in infants with trisomy 21.

BACKGROUND: Stenosis is a serious complication associated with stomas. The initial treatment for stoma stenosis is mainly the finger-bougie technique or balloon dilatation, and recurrence requires stomal reconstruction. However, the use of local triamcinolone injections for treating stoma stenosis has not been reported. Herein, we reported a case of repeated stoma stenosis in a high-risk patient in whom balloon dilatation combined with local triamcinolone injection effectively avoided stomal reconstruction.
METHODS: A woman in her 70s was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of a positive fecal occult blood test and was diagnosed with Ra advanced rectal cancer. Owing to the presence of multiple comorbidities, a laparoscopic Hartmann procedure with D3 dissection was performed. The operative time was 165 min and the intraoperative blood loss was 5 mL. On postoperative day 2, the colostomy stump became discolored, and stoma necrosis was diagnosed, which was successfully treated conservatively, with no findings of stoma falling or peritonitis. Six months after surgery, late stoma stenosis causing colonic obstruction was diagnosed, and the finger-bougie technique and balloon dilatation were ineffective. To avoid reoperation under general anesthesia, balloon dilatation using a CRE™ PRO GI Wireguided (Boston Scientific) at 19 mm for 3 min combined with a 40 mg injection of local triamcinolone into the stoma orifice scar was successfully performed.
CONCLUSIONS: No restenosis was observed after treatment.
CONCLUSIONS: Balloon dilatation combined with local triamcinolone injections may be effective for recurrent stoma stenosis in patients with high-risk comorbidities after rectal cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of ballon dilation of the eustachian tube (BDET) in adult population suffering from Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD).
METHODS: Following PRISMA criteria, a systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases from January 2015 to March 2024. The primary outcomes included Eustachian Tube Score (ETS), tympanometry, and Valsalva maneuver. The quality of studies was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) instrument.
RESULTS: Overall, 11 studies were incorporated into the systematic review: two RCTs, three prospective investigations, and six retrospective studies. The balloon dilation in all investigations was performed using either Spiggle & Theis or Acclarent catheters for balloon dilation. There was heterogeneity across studies examining the effect of BDET on persistent ETD in terms of patient selection, period of follow-up, administration of conservative or surgical therapies, and use of assessment methods. Overall, the treatment yielded alleviation of symptoms, which either exhibited stability over time or demonstrated further improvement after an average duration of follow-up. Moreover, the incidence of complications was categorized as low and resolving spontaneously. The majority of the studies exhibited a high risk of bias related to confounding variables, and consequently, the overall risk of bias across most studies was considered high.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest BDET holds promise for ETD treatment, reducing symptom severity with minimal complications. Nonetheless, there is a need for improved studies that adhere to established indications, methodologies, and outcomes to establish a more robust body of evidence.

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Background and Objectives: Functional gastric stenosis, a consequence of sleeve gastrectomy, is defined as a rotation of the gastric tube along its longitudinal axis. It is brought on by gastric twisting without the anatomical constriction of the gastric lumen. During endoscopic examination, the staple line is deviated with a clockwise rotation, and the stenosis requires additional endoscopic manipulations for its transposition. Upper gastrointestinal series show the gastric twist with an upstream dilatation of the gastric tube in some patients. Data on its management have remained scarce. The objective was to assess the efficacy and safety of endoscopic balloon dilatation in the management of functional post-sleeve gastrectomy stenosis. Patients and Methods: Twenty-two patients with functional post-primary-sleeve-gastrectomy stenosis who had an endoscopic balloon dilatation between 2017 and 2023 were included in this retrospective study. Patients with alternative treatment plans and those undergoing endoscopic dilatation for other forms of gastric stenosis were excluded. The clinical outcomes were used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of balloon dilatation in the management of functional gastric stenosis. Results: A total of 45 dilatations were performed with a 30 mm balloon in 22 patients (100%), a 35 mm balloon in 18 patients (81.82%), and a 40 mm balloon in 5 patients (22.73%). The patients\' clinical responses after the first balloon dilatation were a complete clinical response (4 patients, 18.18%), a partial clinical response (12 patients, 54.55%), and a non-response (6 patients, 27.27%). Nineteen patients (86.36%) had achieved clinical success at six months. Three patients (13.64%) who remained symptomatic even after achieving the maximal balloon dilation of 40 mm were considered failure of endoscopic dilatation, and they were referred for surgical intervention. No significant adverse events were found during or following the balloon dilatation. Conclusions: Endoscopic balloon dilatation is an effective and safe minimally invasive procedure in the management of functional post-sleeve-gastrectomy stenosis.