[Laparoscopy-assisted ileocolic resection in Crohn's disease]

Laparoscopic surgery has become more widely used in the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study is retrospectively to describe the results of laparoscopy-assisted ileocolic resection of nineteen patients with Crohn's disease.

The patients included in this study were identified by a search in Ribe County's patient system. Patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease and treated with laparoscopic ileocolic resection in the period 1/1-2004-31/8-2007 were included. The search resulted in inclusion of nineteen patients.

95% of the operations were performed as elective surgery with a median operative time of 93 minutes and a median blood loss of 50 ml. The conversion rate and 30-day mortality were zero. In one case there were perioperative complications. The median postoperative time to flatus was three days and to bowel movement four days. The median time from operation to discharge was five days. The most frequent postoperative complications were wound infection, intraabdominal abscess, ileus and pneumonia.

The results of our laparoscopy-assisted operations seem to be equal to those published in international studies, although a slightly higher incidence of complications cannot be ruled out. Data suggests that laparoscopy-assisted ileocolic resection compared with conventional resection for Crohn's disease has several advantages although more evidence is needed to establish this with certainty.