Management of benign rectal strictures - A review of present therapeutic procedures

PURPOSE: A significant benign stricture of the rectum is uncommon but can be a recalcitrant condition to treat. Case reports detailing a particular treatment option abound in the surgical literature. An overall precis of the different techniques available is presented, with a comparison of their relative strengths and weaknesses. METHODS: A literature search was undertaken from 1963 to the present day, using MEDLINE. Keywords were benign, strictures, and rectum. RESULTS: Balloon dilation is the most frequent intervention described in the literature. Repeated dilation with time often is required to achieve normal bowel function. Electrocautery resection or incision combined with dilation increases the success rate without increasing the complication rate. Transanal strictureplasty with mechanical staplers is reported as achieving the best success with the smallest complication rate; however, only a minority of strictures are suitable to be managed in this way, and therefore, the numbers treated are small. CONCLUSIONS: All of the techniques reviewed compared favorably with formal stricture resection in terms of success rate and complications.