Finney strictureplasty

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Finney strictureplasty

Finney strictureplasty is a gastroenterology procedure used to treat narrowing (strictures) of the small intestine up to 15 cm long. It works by folding the diseased bowel onto itself and creating a large opening between the two loops. This technique is especially helpful for longer strictures (about 7 to 15 cm) that are too long for the more common Heineke–Mikulicz method, which is used for strictures up to about 7 cm.

The procedure is named after Finney pyloroplasty, described in 1937. During surgery, the affected loop is folded at its midpoint into a U shape. A long incision is made halfway between the mesenteric (attached) side and the anti-mesenteric (opposite) side on the folded loop. The edges are sewn together to form a short side-to-side connection between the two sections.

The goal is to bypass the narrowed segment without removing it, but to reduce the risk of bacterial overgrowth in the bypassed portion, the treated length is kept under 15 cm.

Strictureplasties are grouped into conventional, intermediate, and complex types. The Heineke–Mikulicz strictureplasty is the most common conventional type, Finney strictureplasty is the most common intermediate type, and Michelassi strictureplasty is the most common complex type.