Sophie, They actually cut through scar tissue as well as dilating it. Becuase it was a complete stricture, or nearly complete, by the time I had surgery, they couldn't just slide something down my esophagus and stretvh the esoph. open. One doctor (the ENT/surgeon) used a tool that went down through the esophagus and then they pulled out my g-tube and the other doctor (the thoracic surgeon) went up the esophgus through the stomach, both of them cutting scar tissue until the esoph. was open. I am told there aren't many teams of docs that have much experience doing this procedure so choose your doctors carefully-especially if his stricture is nearly complete, not just a narrowing.

Obviously this has some risks and in this case they either accidentally cut the esoph. itself or when they dilated it they caused a big tear. They had done over 50 of these surgeries and I was the first one this happened with (and by now they are probably close to 100 of these surgeries and I was recently told I still have the distinction of being the only one)so that isn't likely if your husband ends up having surgery like this. But try to find docs who have done as many of these surgeries as possible. They also put something on the part they cut open that prevents new scar tissue from forming.

Hope this helps.

Nelie