[Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis. Medical or surgical treatment]

Colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis was performed in 47 patients affected by ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis. These two forms of "aggressive idiopathic colitis" present the same problems of therapy from both the pharmacological and the surgical point of view. The topical employment of antiphlogistic steroids and sulphasalazine by daily retention enemas caused a regression of proctitis and allowed a safe ileorectal anastomosis. After the surgical procedure a protective treatment of the rectal mucosa was prosecuted with minimal dosages of the same antiphlogistic drug by daily minienemas. Betametasone in aqueous solution have proved, among the antiphlogistic steroids, to be very suitable for a topical action without side-effects in the long time. The association of topical treatment and surgery is particularly indicated for those patients who cannot recover with medical therapy alone, as it enables them to recover and return to a normal life. The opportunity for colectomy is so much greater as it is possible, as a rule, to spare the rectum and protect the ileorectal anastomosis by means of a topical therapy without limitations of time. Therefore the surgical indication should not be delayed whenever the medical treatment by systemic administration of steroids, sulphasalazine and immunosuppressors is unable to prevent the evolution of aggressive idiopathic colitis to a chronic and seriously invalidating disease.