# Anastomotic Stricture After Resection



## kmac

Hi All-

New to this site and have to say it's been a very reassuring / comforting resource while I've been reading countless medical articles trying to familiarize myself with what is going on. Few people know what it's like to have to manage something like Crohn's and I'm so happy a resource like this exists. Your optimism is really refreshing.

My long story short, had Crohn's for a little more than 10 years which was kept in complete remission with 6-MP (lucky guy). Every year or so I would eat something too hard to pass near the the ileum and I would take a 3-week dose of Entocort and avoid that food in the future. Done. The past year food flare ups were becoming more common and eventually Entocort stopped working because my Dr. was like 'it's the stricture...we both knew this time would eventually come...'

So I bit the bullet and had a laproscopic resection with one of the best surgeons in New York. My case was described as 'text book' and I was in the hospital on Friday and released on Monday! This would allow me to 'hit the reset button' on the disease and start from scratch, according to my Dr. Was immediately put back on 6-MP to reduce the risk of recurrence. SOUNDS GOOD! Two months (60 days!!) after the surgery and I was having distention and pain the lower right quadrant. I couldnt believe it. Very very saddened. I convinced my doc to let me try Xifaxan, heavy doses of probiodics, every supplement there is...still distended and getting worse.  

Going back to my Dr. this week but I'm now pretty convinced I have an anastomotic stricture. The Dr. never even mentioned something like this as a possibility! All I was hearing was that surgery would be amazing for a patient like me. The more I research, the more I'm reading on how Crohn's that initially presents as inflammation will most likely progress to fibrostenotic, where strictures are a major issue. I'm trying to take solace by reading articles that say that endoscopic dilation is very effective for anastomotic strictures. I'm just amazed that scar tissue could form so quickly after surgery? This seems very rapid to me, but maybe not?

Was wondering if anyone else had a stricture so quickly after surgery and if anyone found success in endoscopic dilation? In my mind, if I have to have this thing dilated once a year for the rest of my life, then so be it. I cant fathom another resection because the same exact thing will happen. Sorry for the essay but hoping others out there can lend some advice.

-Kevin


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## DJW

Hrey Kevin, that is disheartening. 

I personally have never had scare tissue form that fast. 
Hope you get some answers from the doctor. It may be inflammation requiring a medication tweek.


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## UnXmas

Try not to assume too much based on your reading and speculation. See your doctor first and see what tests you need to find out what's going on. What you experienced after one resection isn't necessarily what you'll experience if you have another, so don't start planning dilations for the rest of your life just yet.


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## kmac

Yeah you're both right. I try to remind myself that the Dr. Is the expert and indeed I am putting too much weight on articles and speculation. I too found it incredibly odd that scar tissue could possibly form so quickly. The sad reality is that more tests will be needed to figure out the root of the issue, that's clearly the most important first step. I think my immediate reaction is to put myself at ease by reading promising results in medical articles. It is encouraging that procedures like structureplasty and dilation are available and effective to avoid just taking out more and more intestine. The bottom line is that I was so encouraged by finally taking the big step of having a resection and now it just feels like I'm back at square one...and so quickly! 10 years of remission with 6-mp, I'm still hopeful that something relatively straightforward like a dose of prednisone to knock it back down or a dilation will do the trick. The thought of another resection or surgery of any kind after I just got over the last one is really depressing. Fingers crossed diagnostic tools show what is exactly going on and we can take it from there. 

Thanks again for the reminder not to jump too far based on speculation. I'll keep this thread updated based on what I find out, just in case someone else has surgery and experiences symptoms like I have so quickly afterward.


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## stegios

Hello kmac. Hope you are doing well.
Can you give us a feedback in regard to your January problem? Just had (18 days now) my first resection and this is one of my primary questions.

Thanks for sharing.


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