Strictureplasty for ileocolic anastomotic strictures in Crohn's disease

Because of the limited experience, the use of strictureplasty for a strictured ileocolic anastomosis associated with Crohn's disease was reviewed.

We reviewed 22 patients who had a strictureplasty to treat symptomatic ileocolic anastomotic strictures related to Crohn's disease. The median interval between a previous ileocolic anastomosis and strictureplasty was 2 years (range, 1 to 26 years). The median age was 39 years and there were 15 males and 7 females. The median follow-up was 2 years.

Strictureplasty on a strictured ileocolic anastomosis was either a Heineke-Mikulicz (n = 15) or a Finney (n = 7) strictureplasty. Fifteen (68 percent) patients needed 47 additional strictureplasties in other sites of the small bowel and 5 (23 percent) patients had synchronous small bowel resection mainly for separate areas of phlegmonous disease. Only five (23 percent) patients did not have a synchronous procedure on the small bowel. There was no mortality or major septic complications. After surgery, relief of obstructive symptoms was noted in all patients. The median weight gain at six months after surgery was 3 kg (range, -5 to +10 kg) and 75 percent of the patients were weaned off steroids. Symptomatic "recurrence" occurred in two (9 percent) patients from new strictures at sites unrelated to previous strictureplasties; only one needed reoperation for recurrence. Patency of the strictureplasty on ileocolic anastomosis in asymptomatic patients was confirmed by small bowel contrast study (n = 12) and colonoscopy (n = 4).

Strictureplasty preserves small bowel length and may be a viable alternative to repeat ileocolic resection in suitable cases.