[Surgical possibilities in the treatment of ulcerative colitis]

During the five-year period between 1992-1996 at the First Surgical Clinic of the Medical Faculty, Palacký University and Faculty Hospital in Olomouc 22 patients were operated on account of ulcerative colitis. Twelve patients were subjected to primary operations on account of acute complications of the disease, ten patients are in the group of elective operations. As the incidence of ulcerative colitis in our population is not high there is little experience with treatment of this disease and ulcerative colitis is still a problem for gastroenterologists as well as surgeons. The authors draw attention to two factors which have an impact on surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis: 1. optimal time for indication of surgical treatment calls for treatment of patients in a specialized gastroenterological department, 2. Surgical treatment calls for a specialised team linked with the gastroenterological department concerned with treatment of ulcerative colitis.