Postoperative Crohn's disease management

Despite multiple advances in the medical treatment of Crohn's disease, it is recognized that a significant proportion of patients will ultimately require surgical resection at some point during their disease course. This review focuses on the postoperative management of patients with Crohn's disease, with the goal of preventing endoscopic and clinical recurrence, and future surgery.

Surgery is an integral part of the multidisciplinary approach to the management of patients with Crohn's disease. Recent literature and guidelines have focused on a standardized and evidence-based approach to the management of patients in the postoperative setting. This approach should utilize risk stratification at the time of surgery, initiation of appropriate therapy among high-risk patients, and objective evaluation in the postoperative period, including ileocolonoscopy at 6-12 months after a surgical resection.

A standardized approach to the postoperative management of patients with Crohn's disease is critical. Identifying those patients at high-risk for endoscopic and clinical recurrence is essential, as these patients will likely require early medical therapy. While novel objective assessments are emerging, all patients should undergo ileocolonoscopy at 6-12 months and further decision making should be based on the presence of endoscopic recurrence.