A Case of Corrosive Injury-Induced Pharyngeal Stricture Treated by Endoscopic Adhesiolysis Using an Electrosurgical Knife

Here, we report a case of corrosive injury-induced pharyn-geal stricture in a 69-year-old female, which was successfully treated with endoscopic adhesiolysis using an electrosurgi-cal knife. The patient had ingested sodium hydroxide in an attempted suicide, and immediate endoscopy revealed corrosive injuries of the pharynx, esophagus, and stomach. When a liquid diet was permitted, she complained of nasal regurgitation of food. Follow-up endoscopy revealed several adhesive bands and a web-like scar that did not allow pas-sage of the endoscope into the hypopharyngeal area. For treatment of the hypopharyngeal stricture, the otolaryngolo-gist attempted to perform an excision of the fibrous bands around the esophageal inlet using microscissors passed through an esophagoscope, but this procedure was not ef-fective. We then dissected the mucosal adhesion and incised the adhesive bands using an electrosurgical knife. After this procedure, nasal regurgitation of food no longer occurred. To our knowledge, this case is the fi rst report of endoscopic adhesiolysis with an electrosurgical knife in a patient with a corrosive injury-induced pharyngeal stricture. (Gut Live