Timing of surgery in Crohn's disease: a key issue in the management

The timing of the decision for operation in Crohn's disease is based on an evaluation of the several factors such as the failure of medical treatment, complications due to the Crohn's disease or to the pharmacological therapy, development of dysplasia or cancer and growth retardation. A complete evaluation of these factors should result in operation timed to the patient's best advantage, achieving maximal relief of symptoms with improvement of quality of life. Given the complexity and heterogeneity of the disease and the different options for treatment, is difficult to systematize when the optimal moment for the surgery is arrived. A very important factor in the management of Crohn's disease is the multidisciplinary approach and the patient preference should be a significant factor in determining the choice of therapy. The surgery should be considered such another option in the sequential treatment of Crohn's disease. We have analyzed the factors that are involved in the decision taking of the surgical treatment regarding to the experience and the published literature. When did the medical therapy fail? when is the appropriate moment to operate on the patient? Or which complications of Crohn's disease need surgery? These are some of the questions we will try to answer.