What are strictures?
Patients with CD in the small intestine may develop bowel obstructions which can result in severe cramps and vomiting. These obstructions can result from narrowing of the intestine due to inflammation as well as from scar tissue (stricture) from healed lesions. If the obstruction is a consequence of inflammation then it can usually be relieved by medical therapy such as steroids. However if the obstruction is due to a fibrous stricture then surgical resection may be necessary. In others, it may be possible to clear some of these obstructions via a technique known as stricturoplasty, which attempts to expand the narrowed segment of the intestine. Strictures can also occur in the large intestine, but are much less common.
