Question:
I know this is a stupid question...Whats a Stricture?

   — NJChick (posted on August 29, 2003)

August 29, 2003
A stricture is when the hole at the top of your stomach or pouch is too small for food to go down.
   — M B.

August 29, 2003
Hi Debra, I found a great page that explains it with diagrams. http://www.gastricbypassfamily.com/Stricture.html CJ
   — Cj B.

August 29, 2003
I had DS 14 months ago and am VERY happy with it, and since it's not well known I like to let people know it exists. I hope you'll look into it. We have a real stomach (no stoma, so you don't have to worry about pouches, strictures, stretching, ulcers, etc), no food restrictions beyond limiting carbs, and best of all we do not regain the weight! There is a lot of misinformation about DS, some of it given out by non-DS surgeons. For the real story go to http://www.duodenalswitch.com; there is a surgeon list and a message board where you can ask questions. You might also like to join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/duodenalswitch/. Whatever you decide, good luck in actually *getting* surgery. WLS has made such an incredible difference in my life! Chris
   — Chris T.

August 29, 2003
Chris, I think your posted your answer to the wrong question. You might want to repost. I do take issue with one statement, a DS patient certainly can regain and some have. So feel free to promote your chosen surgery just do it accurately please.
   — zoedogcbr

August 29, 2003
Okay I have had 5 strictures in the 2 1/2 months since surgery so I'm going to explain a few things...A stricture is a narrowing of an opening.This can happen at the opening to the new pouch or at the outlet of the pouch where the small intestine is surgically connected.Since strictures are basically caused by scar tissue forming or just an overhealing and growing of the tissue...you can also have a stricture further down in your intestine where it was bypassed.Any area where there is a surgical connection is an area where a stricture can occur.Also,if your new pouch is producing alot of acid ,that can irritate the lining and that can cause a stricture to form....It is a common complication that can occur anytime but it is very common at 3-4 weeks out from surgery.The fix is a simple outpatient procedure.You get an endoscopy where they put a camera down into your stomach through your mouth.If there is a stricture they will use a balloon to dilate the opening.You are not completely knocked out but they generally give you demerol and versed to make you sleepy and comfortable during the procedure.DS er's can get strictures too.
   — jennifer A.

August 29, 2003
Imagine sucking a drink through a straw. Now use your fingers and pinch it some place. It now has a stricture. I've had lots of urinary strictures so I hate the word "Stricture". Thankfully, so far, I've avoided any strictures concerning WLS.
   — Danmark

August 29, 2003
DSers can get strictures in the intestines; I've heard of a couple people on the boards who got them. They are extremely rare, though, not like RNY stomal strictures which are alarmingly common. Some DS surgeons put a special stent in the connections to keep them open while healing; they dissolve after a few weeks. I have NEVER heard of any DSer getting one in their stomach, and if they did it would not be because of surgery as there is no artificial connection there. The very acidic stomach and delicate, alkaline intestinal tissue are not designed to touch each other; that is one reason why the pylorus is so important. As to DS weight regain, yes, a lot of people regain 10-20 lbs after reaching their lowest weight. This is more of a settling than a gaining. I was talking about high percentage of regain, which is very rare (unheard of?) in DS and a very sad thing for anyone to have to deal with! The best place for information about DS is duodenalswitch.com. Chris
   — Chris T.