Crohn's Disease and Intestinal Transplantation

Most patients with Crohn's disease (CD) require one or more operations during their lifetime. Repeated resections and surgical complications may result in short gut in a subset of patients, typically those with extensive small bowel disease or a penetrating CD phenotype. The effects of short bowel syndrome (SBS) can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening advanced intestinal failure. Worldwide, CD is the second leading indication for intestinal transplantation (ITx) in SBS, but the overall incidence of ITx is quite low. Key Messages: Currently, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is the preferred treatment option for patients with SBS because of its superior survival outcome. However, TPN can fail from loss of venous access due to catheter-associated thromboses, recurrent catheter-related blood stream infections, or intestinal-failure-associated liver dysfunction. Three types of transplantations are available for CD patients - small bowel alone, liver plus small bowel and multivisceral, which includes other intra-abdominal organs. An abdominal wall transplant is required in case of abdominal wall defects or lack of free intra-abdominal space. The current 5-year survival rate of 54% following ITx of the isolated small bowel appears worse than that associated with TPN. However, outcomes are substantially improving because of surgical and technical advances and progress in medical therapy. On the other hand, ITx carries the risk of both complications (e.g., rejection, infections, and post transplant lymphoproliferative disorders) and adverse events associated with immunosuppression. CD recurrence has been reported in a few patients, but this primarily histologic recurrence might not be of great clinical importance.

ITx has become a well-established treatment for those who fail on TPN and who have life-threatening complications. Fortunately, it concerns only a small proportion of CD patients, but it does offer reasonable survival and quality of life. Primary management of patients with small bowel failure should be provided by a center experienced in medical intestinal rehabilitation, nutrition, and transplantation of other solid organs.