Medical and surgical management of severe colitis

The management of severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis remains a challenge, despite significant advances in medical and surgical therapy. Optimal management of the patient with severe colitis requires close collaboration between the gastroenterologist and surgeon. All patients with severe colitis should be hospitalized and treated with intravenous corticosteroids. If significant improvement does not occur within 7 to 10 days, then intravenous cyclosporine therapy or surgery is appropriate. Newer medical therapies, including heparin, tacrolimus, and other immunomodulatory agents, show promise for the treatment of severe colitis. When surgery is necessary, a total abdominal colectomy with ileostomy is the appropriate surgical intervention in most cases. In patients presenting with fulminant colitis, toxic megacolon, or perforation, earlier surgical intervention is indicated. The evaluation of and approach to the medical and surgical management of severe colitis will be reviewed.