A person with a Schatzki's ring (a membrane partially blocking the 
espphagus) has worsening dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and the 
doctor proposes dilation by balloow or bougie (using an inflatable
balloon to rupture the ring or a rubber hose to push through it.  

Question: is balloon dilation safe, common, and indicated?  It sounds
pretty invasive.

Yes, this is a common and safe procedure.  The majority of Schatzki's
rings described by x-ray, however, wnd up being due to inflammation
instead of the congenital Schatzki's ring.  Occassionally a cancer
masquerades as a ring.  You should have the endoscopy to see if it
is due to the heartburn, and if so, you will need treatment for the
heartburn ong term.  The balloon dilation is an alternative to cutting
open your chest and cutting out a section of the esophagus, so dilation
is not at all invasive, considering the alternative.  


3 to 4 years, and once was symptomatic from them, with some
lightheadedness.
He is young, (30-ish), thin and in good

I' not an expert on heart problems, but PVC's are common and have been
overtreated in the past.  My personal experience, and I have the same 
history an build you do (related to the heart, that is), is that my PVC's
come and go, with some months causing anxiety.  Taking on more fluids
seems to help, and they seem worse in the summer.  Remember that a slow 
heart rate will allow more PVC's to be apparent, so perhaps it is an 
indication of a healthy cardiac system (but ask an expert about that
last point, especially)

Good luck, hope we don't die of arrhythmias.  (God, what a happy thought)