OBJETIVO: Avaliar as causas de estenose esofágica em pacientes pediátricos e a resposta ao tratamento por dilatação endoscópica nos diferentes grupos estudados. MÉTODOS: Análise retrospectiva dos dados clínicos e endoscópicos de crianças e adolescentes com estenose esofágica tratadas por dilatação endoscópica entre julho de 1993 e janeiro de 2003. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos no estudo 125 pacientes, com idade entre 1 mês e 16 anos. Houve predomínio das estenoses de causas cirúrgica (43,2%), cáustica (27,2%) e péptica (21,6%). O grupo com estenose esofágica cáustica necessitou de maior número de sessões de dilatação endoscópica. Cinco casos de perfuração esofágica e um caso de hemorragia foram observados como complicações do procedimento. Houve boa resposta ao tratamento endoscópico em 74,4% dos casos, com melhores resultados nos pacientes com estenose esofágica péptica. CONCLUSÕES: O tratamento endoscópico das estenoses esofágicas em crianças e adolescentes apresenta bons resultados e baixo índice de complicações. A estenose esofágica de etiologia cáustica é a de morbidade mais elevada e com necessidade de maior número de sessões de dilatação esofágica.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the causes of esophageal stricture in pediatric patients and their response to endoscopic dilatation. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of clinical and endoscopic data obtained from children and adolescents with esophageal stricture submitted to endoscopic dilatation between July 1993 and January 2003. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients aged between 1 month and 16 years were included in the study. Among the types of stenosis, postoperative (43.2%), corrosive (27.2%) and peptic (21.6%) strictures were the most prevalent. Those patients with corrosive esophageal stricture needed more dilatation sessions. Five cases of esophageal perforation and one case of hemorrhage occurred due to complications during the procedure. Good response to endoscopic treatment was described in 74.4% of cases, but better results were obtained from patients with peptic esophageal stricture. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic treatment of esophageal strictures in children and adolescents yields good results and has a low rate of complications. Corrosive esophageal strictures have a higher morbidity and require more dilatation sessions.

Surgical drainage is still considered the gold standard treatment of pancreatic abscess. Patients with high surgical risk, however, require alternative therapy. The authors report three cases of pancreatic abscess that were treated endoscopically. In patients who met endoscopic drainage criteria, treatment was effective, though one case did require surgical intervention as a result of gastric puncture point bleeding. After this initial experience, we believe that endoscopic drainage should be considered in selected cases.