[Stem Cell Therapy for Complex Anal Fistula in Crohn`s Disease: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives]

Despite progress in multidisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, complex anal fistulas associated with Crohn's disease remain a challenge for both medical and surgical management. Conventional surgical techniques such as flap procedures or LIFT are still associated with considerable persistence and recurrence rates. Based on this background, results of stem cell therapy for Crohn's anal fistula have shown promising results and are a sphincter-preserving technique. In particular, adipose-derived, allogeneic stem cell therapy (Darvadstrocel) has shown encouraging healing rates within the randomised controlled ADMIRE-CD trial, which were reproducible in "real world" data of limited clinical studies. The current evidence has led to the integration of allogeneic stem cell therapy into international guidelines. To date, the definitive status of allogeneic stem cells in the multidisciplinary treatment algorithm for complex anal fistulas associated with Crohn's disease cannot be evaluated.