Strictureplasty for obstructing small-bowel lesions in diffuse radiation enteritis--successful outcome in five...

Complications from chronic radiation enteritis can lead to resection or bypass of large segments of intestine, placing the patient at risk for short-bowel syndrome. We have operated on five patients with complications of chronic radiation enteritis in the setting of limited intestinal reserve. In each case, strictureplasty was used as an adjunct to resection or bypass to treat short, relatively isolated radiation strictures with the goal of preserving intestinal length and avoiding dependence on parenteral nutrition.

There were four females and 1 male, mean age 57 (range, 45-71) years. Complications developed from 1 to 30 years after radiation therapy and all patients had undergone at least one prior laparotomy for complications of radiation enteritis. Four patients had resultant short bowel syndrome and were dependent on parenteral nutrition preoperatively. Indications for the present operations were chronic small-bowel obstruction (3 patients), enterocutaneous fistula and bowel obstruction (1 patient), and chronic small-bowel obstruction along with a rectovaginal fistula (1 patient). Details of the operative procedure, postoperative complications, and eventual weaning from parenteral nutrition were determined by review of the medical records.

Strictureplasty was performed either alone (1 patient) or was accompanied by resection or bypass (4 patients). Postoperative complications developed in 3 patients and were comprised of pancreatitis (1), acute renal failure (1), and wound infection (1). There were no anastomotic leaks, reoperations, or deaths. All four patients on preoperative parenteral nutrition were successfully weaned postoperatively and were maintained on enteral nutrition at last follow-up (mean 42, range, 18-120 months). One patient developed recurrent small-bowel obstruction requiring reoperation ten years after the strictureplasty surgery.

Strictureplasty may be an effective and safe tool to conserve intestinal length in certain highly selected patients with chronic radiation enteritis and small-bowel strictures, namely those with limited intestinal reserve where strictures are located within long segments of diseased bowel which, if resected or bypassed, would have significant nutritional or metabolic consequences. Strictureplasty is not indicated for the treatment of perforation, hemorrhage, fistula, or short segments of disease in patients with adequate intestinal reserve.