Stenosis Explained

Stenosis
Synonyms:	Stenoses
Pronounce:	^[1] ^[2]

Stenosis is the abnormal narrowing of a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure such as foramina and canals. It is also sometimes called a stricture (as in urethral stricture).^[3]

Stricture as a term is usually used when narrowing is caused by contraction of smooth muscle (e.g. achalasia, prinzmetal angina); stenosis is usually used when narrowing is caused by lesion that reduces the space of lumen (e.g. atherosclerosis).^[4] The term coarctation is another synonym, but is commonly used only in the context of aortic coarctation.^{[5] [6]}

Restenosis is the recurrence of stenosis after a procedure.^[7]

Examples

Examples of vascular stenotic lesions include:

• Intermittent claudication (peripheral artery stenosis)
• Angina (coronary artery stenosis)
• Carotid artery stenosis which predispose to (strokes and transient ischaemic episodes)^[8]
• Renal artery stenosis

Types

In heart valves

The types of stenoses in heart valves are:

• Pulmonary valve stenosis, which is the thickening of the pulmonary valve, therefore causing narrowing
• Mitral valve stenosis, which is the thickening of the mitral valve (of the left heart), therefore causing narrowing
• Tricuspid valve stenosis, which is the thickening of the tricuspid valve (of the right heart), therefore causing narrowing
• Aortic valve stenosis, which is the thickening of the aortic valve, therefore causing narrowing

Elsewhere

Stenoses/strictures of other bodily structures/organs include:

• Pyloric stenosis (gastric outflow obstruction)
• Lumbar, cervical or thoracic spinal stenosis
• Subglottic stenosis (SGS)
• Tracheal stenosis
• Obstructive jaundice (biliary tract stenosis)
• Bowel obstruction
• Phimosis
• Non-communicating hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis
• Stenosing tenosynovitis
• Atherosclerosis
• Esophageal stricture
• Achalasia
• Prinzmetal angina
• Vaginal stenosis
• Meatal stenosis

Causes

• alcohol
• atherosclerosis
• birth defects
• calcification
• diabetes
• headbanging
• iatrogenic
• infection
• inflammation
• ischemia
• neoplasm
• smoking
• ureteral
• urethral

Diagnosis

Stenoses of the vascular type are often associated with unusual blood sounds resulting from turbulent flow over the narrowed blood vessel. This sound can be made audible by a stethoscope, but diagnosis is generally made or confirmed with some form of medical imaging (such as ultrasound).^[9]

See also

• Atresia
• Spinal stenosis

External links

• Web site: Tracheal Stenosis Audio and Video. https://web.archive.org/web/20070112051244/http://homepage.mac.com/changcy/voicebreathing.htm . dead . 2007-01-12 .
• Web site: Symptoms of Urethral Stricture . 20 May 2011 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20160717174226/http://www.uretra.it/sintomi-generici-pazienti/?lang=en . July 17, 2016 . live.

Notes and References

1. OED 2nd edition, 1989, as pronounced as //stɪˈnəʊsɪs//.
2. Web site: Definition of STENOSIS. 2023-02-16. www.merriam-webster.com. en.
3. Web site: Dorlands Medical Dictionary:stenosis . www.mercksource.com . 2010-05-05 .
4. Web site: Atherosclerosis - What Is Atherosclerosis? . National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute . 24 March 2022 .
5. News: Coarctation of the Aorta (CoA) . American Heart Association .
6. Groenemeijer . B. E. . Bakker . A. . Slis . H. W. . Waalewijn . R. A. . Heijmen . R. H. . An unexpected finding late after repair of coarctation of the aorta . Netherlands Heart Journal . July 2008 . 16 . 7 . 260–263 . 10.1007/bf03086158 . 18711614 . 2516290 .
7. Web site: Forgos . Richard N. . August 2004 . Restenosis After Angioplasty and Stenting .
8. Web site: Carotid Artery Stenosis . The Lecturio Medical Concept Library . 15 March 2021 . 6 July 2021.
9. Takekawa . Hidehiro . Tsukui . Daisuke . Kobayasi . Saro . Suzuki . Keisuke . Hamaguchi . Hirotoshi . Ultrasound diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis and occlusion . Journal of Medical Ultrasonics . October 2022 . 49 . 4 . 675–687 . 10.1007/s10396-022-01259-7 . 36175716 . 252622616 .