{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T18:13:09Z","timestamp":1779387189071,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":9,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779321600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Congenital esophageal stenosis (CES) is a rare condition that may present with feeding difficulties in infancy, often becoming evident during weaning. We report a case of CES presenting with progressive dysphagia during the introduction of solid foods. Methods: Clinical evaluation, contrast esophagography, endoscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging were performed to characterize the stenosis and guide management. Results: Imaging revealed a fixed narrowing of the mid-distal esophagus with minimal passage of contrast and proximal dilatation. Endoscopy confirmed a non-traversable intrinsic stenosis with macroscopically normal mucosa. The patient underwent three endoscopic dilation sessions under general anesthesia using Savary-Gilliard bougies with progressive diameters (3\u20135 mm, 3\u20137 mm, and 7\u201311 mm). No major procedural complications occurred. At 2-month follow-up after the last dilation, feeding was appropriate for age, dysphagia had improved, and growth was regular. Conclusions: CES should be suspected in infants with feeding difficulties that worsen during weaning, particularly when symptoms are resistant to anti-reflux therapy. Endoscopic dilation can improve feeding tolerance, although repeated and staged sessions may be required. The role of adjunctive therapies such as topical budesonide remains uncertain.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children13050706","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T16:46:18Z","timestamp":1779381978000},"page":"706","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Congenital Esophageal Stenosis Presenting During Weaning in a 5-Month-Old Infant"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Massimo","family":"Verdicchio","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Department, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Bucci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sara","family":"Isoldi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9060-2595","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura","family":"Aurino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria Giovanna","family":"Puoti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Serena","family":"Marulo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Federica","family":"Riccitiello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rossella","family":"Turco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Cirillo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giovanni","family":"Di Nardo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paolo","family":"Quitadamo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pediatric Specialties, Santobono Children\u2019s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"535","article-title":"Congenital esophageal stenosis: A rare malformation of the foregut","volume":"81","author":"Zivanovic","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nagoya J. 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Surg."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1186\/s13052-015-0182-y","article-title":"Congenital esophageal stenosis diagnosed in an infant at 9 months of age","volume":"41","author":"Savino","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ital. J. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2342","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpedsurg.2020.01.013","article-title":"Endoscopic incisional therapy and other novel strategies for effective treatment of congenital esophageal stenosis","volume":"55","author":"Yasuda","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Surg."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ruggiero, C., Russo, G., Cozzi, D., Ceccanti, S., Scanziani, C., Volpe, D., Papoff, P., Spatuzzo, M., Spyropoulou, V., and Oliva, S. (2024). Efficacy of oral viscous budesonide to reduce dilation treatment after esophageal atresia repair: A retrospective study. Front. 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Nutr."}],"container-title":["Children"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9067\/13\/5\/706\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T17:29:41Z","timestamp":1779384581000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9067\/13\/5\/706"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]]},"references-count":9,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]}},"alternative-id":["children13050706"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/children13050706","relation":{},"ISSN":["2227-9067"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2227-9067","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]]}}}