Crohn's Disease

Abstract

In a series of 186 patients with Crohn's disease, although stringent indications for operation were required, about 90% of the patients underwent surgery during the period of observation. The recurrence rate after resection was 39%. Bypass operation gave poor results. Relatively ‘radical’ resection seems to give a better result than less ‘radical’ operations. This held for both the number and especially for degree of severity of recurrences. Recurrences with reoperation were followed by a further recurrence rate of 43%. The operative mortality was 3.6%. The total mortality from Crohn's disease or its complications during the period of observation was 5.4% for the whole series. With the relatively active attitude to surgery as regards treatment of recurrent lesions, 88% of all the patients in the initial series are now doing full-time work, and 12% have severe symptoms or are dead from Crohn's disease or its complication. Of the 88%, 11% have moderate, and 77%, no or only very slight symptoms. The majority of patients not operated on or patients with recurrent lesions after operation have been treated with corticosteroids and Salazopyrin.