RECTAL STRICTURE TREATED WITH THE RADIAL INCISION AND CUTTING METHOD

Abstract

A 52-year-old man who presented with progressive abdominal pain was diagnosed with colonic ileus due to rectal stricture by CT and colonoscopy. Colonoscopy demonstrated pinhole stenosis of the rectum. He underwent three courses of endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) without resolution of the rectal stricture. Recently, the endoscopic radial incision and cutting (RIC) method was reported to be effective for treating refractory esophageal stricture. MRI revealed that the severe stricture was caused by thickening of the rectal muscle layer. We used the RIC method to treat the rectal stricture with an IT knife 2 for the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) device. There were no complications such as bleeding or perforation. After treatment, the degree of stenosis decreased and re-stenosis did not occur. This case suggests that the RIC method is a potentially promising treatment option for severe rectal stricture.