Two endoscopic techniques for treating Crohn's disease bowel narrowing

This study compares two different endoscopic (camera-guided) procedures for treating fibrotic strictures — areas of scarring that narrow the small bowel in people with Crohn's disease. One procedure uses a small knife to carefully cut the scar tissue, while the other uses an inflatable balloon to stretch open the narrowed area. The trial will test which approach is safer and more effective.

While medications can control inflammation in Crohn's disease, they often cannot fix scarring that has already formed in the bowel. The current standard treatment (balloon dilation) sometimes needs to be repeated or may eventually require surgery. Researchers want to see if the knife technique might work better and last longer, giving patients another option.