Hi Jenners.
I had a stricture in about the same exact place as yours. I had it dilated twice, but it ended up that the stricture closed due to Stelara. Also, the dialation stretched the stricture, but structurally the stricture dipped into a U shape because the small bowel that strictured could no longer hold up its original shape to the point where it was hard for food to pass through. I’m not sure if you also have ulcers in your j-pouch. For me, I was also ulcerated throughout the j-pouch that changed my diagnosis to Crohn’s disease. I had my jpouch and stricture removed last year and am back to an ileostomy. I would say that the success rate of balloon dialation is very slim. Balloon dialation for the small bowel in itself is very risky in comparison to the large bowel because of how much thinner the bowel walls are.
I’m surprised that the doctors are going to try to remove the stricture only. My doctors over here said I had no choice but to have my j-pouch removed, because of the where the stricture is at that there wouldn’t be enough blood flow to the j-pouch when they cut and reconnect the small bowel to the beginning of the j-pouch, thus basically killing my j-pouch. I would get a second opinion because if it fails, you might have to get a 3rd surgery to remove your j-pouch.
This is just my experience. I spent about 5 months in the hospital for this whole ordeal, but I am finally able to live life again with an ileo. Please, do not be scared of going back to an ostomy. It’s not the end of the world.
I wish you the best of luck.
-Rina