Trial reportWorld journal of gastroenterology2014
Biodegradable stent or balloon dilatation for benign oesophageal stricture: pilot randomised controlled trial.
Trial report in World journal of gastroenterology, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Biodegradable Stents for the Treatment of Refractory Benign Esophageal Strictures: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Digestion · 2025Pooled it
- SX-ELLA biodegradable stent for benign oesophageal strictures: a systematic review and proportion meta-analysis.Surgical endoscopy · 2023Pooled it
- Trial
- Evolving therapeutic approaches in achalasia: a comprehensive review of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) vs. Heller's myotomy.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2025Review
- Vacuum sealing drainage combined with naso-intestinal and gastric decompression tubes for the treatment of esophagogastrostomy neck fistula.Journal of cardiothoracic surgery · 2022Article
- Futuristic Developments and Applications in Endoluminal Stenting.Gastroenterology research and practice · 2022Review
- Endoscopic Management of Benign Colonic Obstruction and Pseudo-Obstruction.Clinical endoscopy · 2020Article
- Post-oesophagectomy gastric conduit outlet obstruction following caustic ingestion, endoscopic management using a SX-ELLA biodegradable stent: A case report.World journal of gastrointestinal endoscopy · 2019Article
- Endoscopic Dilation of Pharyngoesophageal Strictures: There Are More Dimensions than a Diameter.GE Portuguese journal of gastroenterology · 2018Article
- Esophageal Stenting in Clinical Practice: an Overview.Current treatment options in gastroenterology · 2018Review
- Biodegradable Stents in Resistant Peptic Oesophageal Stricture: Is It the Right Way to Go?Clinical medicine insights. Gastroenterology · 2018Review
- Stents for colorectal obstruction: Past, present, and future.World journal of gastroenterology · 2016Review
- Oesophageal stenting for benign and malignant strictures: a systematic approach.Frontline gastroenterology · 2015Review
- Biodegradable esophageal stents for the treatment of refractory benign esophageal strictures.Annals of gastroenterologyReview
- Endoscopic management of refractory benign oesophageal strictures.Therapeutic advances in gastrointestinal endoscopyReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimTo undertake a randomised pilot study comparing biodegradable stents and endoscopic dilatation in patients with strictures.
methodsThis British multi-site study recruited seventeen symptomatic adult patients with refractory strictures. Patients were randomised using a multicentre, blinded assessor design, comparing a biodegradable stent (BS) with endoscopic dilatation (ED). The primary endpoint was the average dysphagia score during the first 6 mo. Secondary endpoints included repeat endoscopic procedures, quality of life, and adverse events. Secondary analysis included follow-up to 12 mo. Sensitivity analyses explored alternative estimation methods for dysphagia and multiple imputation of missing values. Nonparametric tests were used.
resultsAlthough both groups improved, the average dysphagia scores for patients receiving stents were higher after 6 mo: BS-ED 1.17 (95%CI: 0.63-1.78) P = 0.029. The finding was robust under different estimation methods. Use of additional endoscopic procedures and quality of life (QALY) estimates were similar for BS and ED patients at 6 and 12 mo. Concomitant use of gastrointestinal prescribed medication was greater in the stent group (BS 5.1, ED 2.0 prescriptions; P < 0.001), as were related adverse events (BS 1.4, ED 0.0 events; P = 0.024). Groups were comparable at baseline and findings were statistically significant but numbers were small due to under-recruitment. The oesophageal tract has somatic sensitivity and the process of the stent dissolving, possibly unevenly, might promote discomfort or reflux.
conclusionStenting was associated with greater dysphagia, co-medication and adverse events. Rigorously conducted and adequately powered trials are needed before widespread adoption of this technology.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.