Decision-making in ileocecal Crohn’s disease management: surgery versus pharmacotherapy

Abstract

Ileocecal Crohn’s disease (CD) can be treated medically as well as surgically. Both treatment modalities have been improved markedly in the last two decades, making CD more manageable. However, multidisciplinary research, addressing issues such as timing of surgery or medical treatment versus surgery, is scarce. Particularly in limited ileocecal CD, ileocolic resection might be a good alternative to long-term medical therapy. This review discusses the evidence on medical and surgical treatment options for ileocecal CD. It provides an aid in decision-making by discussing a treatment algorithm that can be used until further evidence on treatment is available.

Keywords::

• biologic therapy
• clinical remission
• Crohn’s disease
• decision-making
• ileocecal disease activity
• ileocolic resection

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.