Stricture Symptoms - How Do I Know if I Have a Stricture?

The literature reports stricture rates somewhere from 6 to 20 percent depending on who did the study and what technique was used. Usually strictures occur several weeks to months after surgery and these can be managed with endoscopic dilation. Difficulty eating solids or increased reflux may be related to a stricture or narrowing of the outlet of the small pouch.  An endoscopy or an upper gastrointestinal study can help with this diagnosis. Sometimes there are no anatomic... more

Strictures occur in about 5% of patients after gastric bypass surgery at the connection between the stomach pouch and small intestines.  The sign of this is difficulty tolerating any solid foods.  This usually happens between 6 - 8 weeks after surgery.  The treatment is to perform an endoscopy and dilate the stricture with a balloon.  We usually perform this procedure right in the endoscopy suite in our office as an outpatient.