Abstract
Background: Benign esophageal strictures arise from various etiologies, mostly severe esophagitis. Although endoscopic balloon dilation is still the first-line therapy, refractory or recurrent strictures do occur and remain a challenge to the endoluminal treatment. The aim of this report was to communicate a recurrent esophageal stricture resolution in a cat treated with balloon dilatation and steroids injection in Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Case Description: A 1-year-old spayed mix-breed female cat consulted to the Veterinary Endoscopy Service, for recurring regurgitation after two previous esophageal dilations. The cat had received doxycycline for Mycoplasma spp. infection and 20 days after the treatment consulted for dysphagia and regurgitation. Upper esophagogastroscopy (UGE) was performed with an Olympus CV-160 8,7 mm diameter endoscope, an annular 7 mm stricture was observed 3 cm caudal to the cranial esophagus sphincter. Three balloon dilatations procedures were performed with a Boston Scientific CRE balloon 8-10-12 mm of one minute each. Because of ongoing clinical signs, another UGE was performed 15 days from the first procedure: a 3 mm stricture was encounter in the same place, balloon dilatation was repeated with 6-10-12 mm diameter and a four quadrant triamcinolone was injected in the submucosa. Clinically the cat could eat with no alterations until day 20, where it started with mild dysphagia. Another UE was performed, the known stricture conserved a 11 mm diameter and balloon dilatation 12-15-16,5 mm with triamcinolone injection was repeated 30 days after the previous procedure. The cat could eat kibbles with no clinical signs in a 11-month follow-up.
Conclusion: The alternative of triamcinolone injection after balloon dilatation presented in this clinical report was successful and it could be a therapeutic option for recurrent esophageal strictures in cats as it is in human medicine.

Key words: balloon dilatation, dysphagia, feline