Crohn′s disease (CD) remains a challenge for patients requiring abdominal surgery. A retrospective study evaluated the factors associated with increased risk for postoperative complications in CD, by utilizing data from patients who underwent abdominal surgery for CD.

The study included 103 patients and 32% of patients experienced postoperative complications. 

No difference was noted between the groups with or without complications relating to gender, age, disease location and phenotype, hemoglobin and albumin levels, previous abdominal surgery, and preoperative optimization.

Anti-TNF therapy given to 35% of the patients showed no association with increased risk for postoperative complications. Time since disease onset was considerably higher in patients with complications (12.9 vs. 9.4, p = 0.04).

Multivariate analysis demonstrated the creation of ostomy and urgent surgery to be the only variables independently associated with increased risk for complications.

Thus it was concluded that urgent surgery for CD should preferably be carried out in specialized centers. Although the creation of stoma was not necessarily associated with fewer postoperative complications, it was associated with less severe complications.

Kimura CMS, et al. Inflamm Intest Dis. 2021;6(1):18-24.