[Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis from the surgical viewpoint]

Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, both chronic-recurrent inflammatory bowel diseases, are totally different with respect to surgical indication and therapy. While in Crohn's Disease it is intended to achieve a longer interval of resting disease at typical complications or failure of drug-therapy, in Ulcerative Colitis definitive cure is possible. Because of the significant lower mortality and complication-rate of elective surgery compared to emergency cases, surgical treatment should be considered very early as therapeutic strategy. The resection area in Crohn's Disease should be confined to a minimum, because even a wide resection is no guaranty for nonrecurrence. In Ulcerative Colitis proctocolectomy provides a reliable protection against colonic carcinoma.