Treatments for Strictures

The basic meaning of a stricture is a narrowing of a passageway in the body. This can occur chiefly due to inflammation in the body, particularly in the intestinal tract, urinary tract or esophagus. The inflammation causes a buildup of scar tissue, inhibiting the flow of materials through the body. Treatments vary dependent on the location of the stricture; however, all involve widening the opening closed by the stricture.

Intestinal Strictures

• As with most conditions, conservative treatments are often first recommended for intestinal strictures. Changes to diet in order to avoid foods high in fiber, such as raw carrots, beans, whole grains, dried fruit, nuts, bran and other starchy vegetables may be especially beneficial, as these foods can cause inflammation and buildup in the intestinal tract.

  However, some strictures may be more severe and may be treated via a stretching process in which an endoscope is inserted through the rectum and used to stretch the intestines. However, this is not a permanent solution, and this procedure must be performed multiple times a year in order to achieve continued results.

  After the earlier methods have been used, a physician may recommend surgery to remove the area of the intestine that is highly scarred. The bowel may be reattached without the inflamed portion or an approach known as stricturoplasty may be used in which the affected area is re-sewn together in a manner that widens the bowels.

Esophageal Strictures

• Dilation of the esophagus is known as esophagitis, and can be especially painful when eating. The treatment recommended for most patients is dilation of the stricture. In order to accomplish this, a physician inserts a special balloon into the esophagus that inflates, thus enlarging the esophagus. While this treatment may need to be repeated, it is often the sole remedy necessary to experience stricture-related relief.

Urethral Strictures

• When the urinary tract is restricted due to stricture, patients experience difficulty in urinating, causing the urine to retreat into the urinary system. This action can set off a host of problems, such as a kidney, bladder or prostate infection. The serious nature of these infections necessitates prompt treatment for urethral strictures.

  Strictures can be temporarily removed through the insertion of a catheter through the abdomen to drain the bladder or a tube through the back to drain the kidney. A catheter may also be administered via the urethra to widen a stricture, however this works best on small strictures that have not progressed up the urinary tract.

  Like earlier mentioned treatments, dilation is possible to enlarge the urinary tract through the insertion of wires that gradually expand.

  More invasive methods of treatment are often indicated based on the stricture's size and locations. Small to medium strictures are often treated through endoscopic internal urethrotomy, in which a surgeon removes the stricture by cutting or burning it out of the body. This is a minimally invasive procedure, so the patient often experiences a significantly shorter recovery period as a result.

  Longer strictures may be treated via the implantation of a permanent stent or catheter, which hold the urethra open. However, these tools can irritate the urethra lining and the bladder. Another approach for longer strictures is to remove the affected sections of the urethra, attaching the healthy ends to each other. This procedure requires open surgery, therefore patients typically experience a longer recovery time and more bleeding.