How long ago were you diagnosed?
Where is the stricture located in the small intestine?
How big is the stricture?
I can only comment based on my son's case. He had multiple strictures, the longest that could be measured was 14 cm or about 6 inches long in the distal end of the TI. At the time of that SBFT, the radiologist felt it was a combo of scar tissue and inflammation but could not say for sure and some of the strictures could not be imaged well enough.
My son went on Humira plus 6-MP and then switched to Humira plus MTX. After 2 1/2 years he was in solid remission. We dropped the Humira and he continued on MTX for another 1 1/2 years. He has recently started having sx and had an MRE.
The MRE showed NO strictures at all anywhere in his small bowel.
So I think it can be hard to know whether a stricture is scar tissue, inflammatory or a combination until you are in remission.
You don't always have the luxury of waiting to find this out.
I suggest you go for a 2nd opinion at someplace actively involved in Crohn's research. Not because you want to be in a research trial but because this is a way to identify a program that is up to date and sees a lot of patients. You want someplace that sees lots of patients because then they have a lot of experience to draw on when they make their recommendations. Only caveat - I would always insist on talking directly with the attending or supervising physician (as opposed to residents or fellows) before making any treatment decisions.
I will say that there is some pretty good data supporting a surgical approach for patients whose CD is confined to the area of the ileo-cecal valve.
You might want to check out this article then take it with you to your GI and ask if the findings apply to your case:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22105722
Natural history of ileo-caecal Crohn's disease after surgical resection. A long term study.
"Conclusion:
Surgery is an excellent treatment for patients with isolated ileo-caecal CD. The overall long-term outcome is good: by 10 years after operation approximately 50% of patients are free of clinical recurrence and over 70% do not require further surgery."