[yma]

Hey All: I was wondering if someone could explain what a stricture is and how you get it? I dont feel I have one but Ive read some about it here and was curious.

Thanks

[LittleLisaMarie]

Scar tissue or inflammation can narrow the new connection between the stomach and intestine. This is called a stricture. Strictures usually develop 4-6 weeks after surgery, and affect less than 5% of bariatric surgery patients. Patients with strictures will notice that they are progressively less able to take in fluids and food. Strictures can be treated with an endoscope, a thin, flexible tube with image sensors and special tools at the tip. A doctor will use an endoscope with a tiny inflatable balloon at its tip to open the stricture.

Hope that helps.

LittleLisaMarie

[DocSanae]

Think of this as an over-reaction of your body trying to heal.
The surgeon opened a hole in your stomach to connect your bypass, so the body is very naturally going to try to close the opening, as it isn't "natural" for an opening to be there. Most times, since the intestine itself is a hollow tube, the fact that the opening is stapled to something that won't try to close, is enough to keep it open, but on occasions, when the inflammation is strong, or you have a stronger tendency than average to heal, strictures can happen. Eventually, the tissue on the pouch's side of the opening (stoma) will "solidify" and once it's settled, strictures shouldn't happen, unless you get ulcers in the vicinity of your stoma, in which case, strictures can be caused as a result of the body trying to heal the ulcers.
It doesn't happen because of something you did, so you don't have to worry about doing something wrong to cause it, so long as you don't stimulate your pouch a lot very early out, when the healing process is still very active.

[fr1endly2]

HOPE you get checked out and let your surgeon
know if your thinking you have this.((HUG))
keep us informed!

[yma]

Thanks guys...like I said i dont think I have one but I wanted to know what to look for and make sure I wasnt doing anything to cause one.

[fr1endly2]

I dont think anything causes them
just happens to some in the healing
process!
keep up the great work

[Kat]

That was a great question with great answers. I learned something today.