Background: Severe stenosis of gastrointestinal (GI) tract anastomosis often requires frequent treatment for restenosis. It can cause long-term poor quality of life.
Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of the endoscopic incision method with an Insulation-Tipped (IT)-knife for cases of severe GI stenosis in which the condition of the area distal to the stricture is unknown.
Methods: Endoscopic incisions with an IT-knife were performed in 6 cases of postoperative stenosis who underwent gastrojejunostomy (n = 3), esophagogastrostomy (n = 2), and ileocolestomy (n = 1). The incisions were made in three or four directions.
Result: In all cases, the incisions were successful, with no perforation. There was no severe complication excluding slight bleeding in one case. Because of sufficient incision, there was no restenosis for 20-40 weeks after treatment.
Conclusion: Endoscopic incision with an IT-knife is useful for severe postoperative stenosis.