[Crohn disease: I. Possibilities and limits of conservative therapy]

As the etiology of Crohn's disease is still unknown, medical as well as surgical treatment has to be symptomatic. Medical therapy is performed by use of prednisolone, salazosulfapyridine, metronidazole and elementary diet depending on the localisation and extension of the disease. Surgical treatment means therapy of complications like stenoses, fistulae and abscess formation. Neither after medical nor after surgical treatment the source of the disease is predictable.