[Crohn disease. Results of surgical treatment]

The aim of this study was to describe and to analyze the results of surgery for Crohn's disease in a retrospective series of 155 operations performed in 124 patients from 1949 to 1981 by the same surgical team. Indications for surgical treatment were as follows: acute complications (25 p. 100), intestinal obstruction (35 p. 100), systemic inflammatory manifestations (40 p. 100). Three patients died postoperatively and complications necessitated a reintervention in 10 other subjects. Surgical indications and late postoperative prognosis were significantly different in patients with right-sided bowel lesions (i. e. terminal ileitis, ileocolitis of the ascending colon) and in those with left colonic involvement (i.e. colitis of the whole or descending colon, rectitis and anoperineal lesions). Surgery was required because of failure of medical treatment in 73 p. 100 of Crohn's disease affecting the left colon and in 17 p. 100 of the right-sided lesions (p less than 0.001). After resection a recurrence rate after 1 year and 3 years of respectively 50 and 62 p. 100 was observed in the left colonic disease group and in 5 and 23 p. 100 of the cases respecting the left colon. Finally 31 reoperations were necessary; no surgical mortality occurred in 12 patients with right-sided lesions whereas 5 among 19 patients with involvement of the left colon died postoperatively. These results: a) confirm the high postoperative rate of recurrence (or relapse) after surgical bowel resection for Crohn's disease (especially when the left colon is affected), b) emphasize the need for the surgeon to be very cautious when determining the extent of resection.