The Change of the Clinical Features that Crohn's Disease Treated by Surgery

Kim, Hyun Ah; Chung, Soon Sup; Kim, Kwang Ho; Lee, Ryung Ah

Abstract

PURPOSE
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that despite the advances in medical therapy is difficult to treat requiring surgery in a large proportion of patients as a result of complications. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical features of Crohn's disease patients who underwent one or more surgical interventions during a ten-year period and to establish the indications and surgical procedures in this group of patients. METHODS: The medical records of 22 patients with Crohn's disease, who were treated by surgery at the Ewha Womans University Hospital between October 1993 and February 2004, were reviewed. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 4.5: 1 and the mean age at surgery was 29.7+/-11.5 years. There were an increasing number of patients who were being treated with surgery particularly male patients. The most common symptom was abdominal pain. The main indications for abdominal surgery were an abdominal obstruction and bowel perforation. Fourteen patients were diagnosed with Crohn's disease after surgery by a pathologic examination. Five patients had a history of taking anti-tuberculous medication. The re- operation rate was 9.1%, and there were no deaths. CONCLUSION: The number of surgical interventions for Crohn's disease patients appears to be increasing due to the growth of cases diagnosed and the change in the alert for Crohn's disease. Therefore, a surgeon must consider the possibility of Crohn's disease when a young male patient presents non-specific symptoms of acute abdominal pain.