Surgical management of Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract. It is chronic and incurable, and the mainstay of therapy is medical management with surgical intervention as complications arise. Surgery is required in approximately 70% of patients with Crohn's disease. Because repeat interventions are often needed, these patients may benefit from bowel-sparing techniques and minimally invasive approaches. Various bowel-sparing techniques, including strictureplasty, can be applied to reduce the risk of short-bowel syndrome.

A review of the available literature using the PubMed search engine was undertaken to compile data on the surgical treatment of Crohn's disease.

Data support the use of laparoscopy in treating Crohn's disease, although the potential technical challenges in these settings mandate appropriate prerequisite surgical expertise.