STENOSIS

A stenosis is an abnormal narrowing in a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure. It is also sometimes called a "stricture" (as in urethral stricture).

Causes

• atherosclerosis causes stenotic lesions in arteries.
• birth defects
• ischaemia
• infection
• neoplasm
• inflammation

Types

The resulting syndrome depends on the structure affected. Examples of syndromes that may be caused by various stenotic lesions include:

• Intermittent claudication (peripheral artery stenosis)
• Angina (coronary artery stenosis)
• Obstructive jaundice (biliary tract stenosis)
• Carotid artery stenosis (strokes and transient ischaemic episodes)
• Pyloric stenosis (gastric outflow obstruction)
• Renal artery stenosis
• Bowel obstruction
• Phimosis
• Hydrocephalus
• Stenosing tenosynovitis
• Spinal stenosis

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