Fig. 1

Study flowchart. The flowchart shows the outcomes of patients with no or mild stenosis (NRF group, blue box) and those with severe stenosis (RF group, green box) after prophylactic steroid therapy. The division of RF and NRF groups was determined using the median number of dilatations required in EBD cases (≥ 8 times/0–7 times). EBD was repeated until dysphagia symptoms resolved. EBD Endoscopic balloon dilatation, ESCC Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, ESD Endoscopic submucosal dissection, NRF Non-refractory, RF Refractory