Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026

Murine Ileocolic Bowel Resection with Primary Anastomosis
Published on: October 29, 2014
Healing of severe recurrent ileitis with azathioprine therapy in patients with Crohn's disease
G D'Haens1, K Geboes, E Ponette
1Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.
Background & Aims:
Standard corticosteroid therapy for Crohn's ileitis induces symptom relief without improvement of endoscopically visible lesions. In this study, the effect of azathioprine therapy on the inflammatory lesions in the neoterminal ileum of patients with severe postoperative Crohn's recurrence was examined.
Methods:
Macroscopic ileal lesions were studied endoscopically or radiologically after at least 6 months of azathioprine therapy after complete weaning of corticosteroids. All patients who underwent an ileocecal resection for Crohn's disease at our institution between January 1989 and December 1993 and who subsequently developed severe recurrent ileitis treated with azathioprine were included.
Results:
Of the 19 patients treated with azathioprine for recurrent ileitis, 15 could be reevaluated by endoscopy or radiological examination. The therapy resulted in induction and maintenance of clinical remission in all 15 patients, at least 6 months after complete weaning of the corticosteroids. Complete macroscopic healing of the neoterminal ileum was observed in 6 of 15 patients, near-complete healing with only superficial erosions remaining in 5 of 15 patients, partial healing in 3 of 15 patients, and unchanged inflammatory lesions in 1 patient.
Conclusions:
It is concluded that azathioprine leads to mucosal healing in severe recurrent Crohn's ileitis and may be the treatment of choice in this indication.
Related Concept Videos
Drugs for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in IBD
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Biologic Agents: Anti-TNF
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by transmural...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic...

