[Postoperative recurrence form of Crohn's disease: comparison between perforating and non perforating types]

Postoperative recurrence rate and recurrence form were analyzed in two clinical forms of Crohn's disease at primary resection, one of which was perforating and the other was non perforating. Forty four patients with Crohn's disease were included in this study, 18 of them were perforating type and 26 were non perforating type. Crude recurrence rates were 39% (7/18 cases) in perforating type group and 54% (14/26 cases) in non perforating type group, which were not significantly different. Cumulative recurrence rates 5 years after initial operation were 58% in perforating type group and 47% in non perforating group without statistically significance. The recurrence form was perforating type more frequently in perforating type group (86%) than non perforating group at primary resection (29%) with statistically significance (p = 0.013). Postoperative recurrence form had a tendency to be similar to the form at primary resection. It was suggested from this study that Crohn's disease had two different disease entities; perforating and non perforating types and that postoperative recurrence should be examined carefully from the view of primary resection.