Feasibility of Short-Period, High-Dose Intravenous Methylprednisolone for Preventing Stricture after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Esophageal Cancer: A Preliminary Study

Figure 3

Endoscopic images of a representative patient without stricture after steroid pulse therapy. (a) An image of the esophagus stained with iodine immediately before ESD, revealing a type 0–IIc squamous cell carcinoma in the middle thoracic esophagus, is shown. (b) An image obtained immediately after ESD, demonstrating no perforation or exposed muscle layer after en bloc resection, is shown. The mucosal defect involved more than three-quarters but less than seven-eighths of the esophageal circumference. (c) An ESD-resected specimen stained with iodine is shown. The longitudinal resected specimen size was 53 mm. (d) An image captured 14 days after ESD is shown. The ulcer base remained covered by white moss. The lumen was slightly narrowed, but it allowed the passage of an endoscope. (e) An image obtained 56 days after ESD is shown. The ulcer was almost completely epithelialized, but it allowed the passage of an endoscope. (f) An image obtained 7 months after ESD showing complete epithelialization of the post-ESD ulcer without stricture is shown.

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