Results of surgical treatment for jejunal Crohn's disease: choice between resection, strictureplasty, and combined treatment.

PURPOSE: The jejunum is a relatively uncommon localization of Crohn's disease (CD) compared to the terminal ileum or the large bowel. The type of surgery and the short and long-term results after surgery have not been extensively investigated. A review of patients who underwent surgery for jejunal CD in our center was examined.

METHODS: Between 1986 and 2011, 110 patients underwent surgery for jejunal CD. Thirty patients (27.3 %) were surgically treated with resection, 29 patients (26.4 %) with one or more strictureplasties, and 51 patients (46.3 %) with both a resection and one or more strictureplasties.

RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in terms of short-term postoperative complications between patients operated with three different options (p = 0.72). Patients were followed up for a period ranging from 2 to 18 years (mean 11 years). During this period, 42 patients had no CD recurrence, 11 patients had medical recurrences only, while 57 patients had surgical recurrences, too. There was no statistical difference in terms of medical and surgical recurrence between the three types of surgical procedures employed (p = 0.24) and between smokers and non-smokers. The recurrent CD was prevalently treated with strictureplasty.

CONCLUSIONS: The most frequently employed surgery for the treatment of jejunal CD is a combined type of treatment, i.e., resection of the most affected tract and strictureplasty of the residual strictures. This approach does not imply an increased risk of postoperative complications and recurrence and can reduce the risk of the short bowel syndrome.