Abstract
Crohn disease remains a challenging clinical entity, both medically and surgically.
It frequently presents in early adulthood and imposes a lifetime exposure to chronic
inflammation that can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract. Although the mainstay
of therapy is treatment with immunomodulating drugs, ∼70 to 90% of patients with Crohn
disease will ultimately require surgery. Furthermore, there are high rates of symptomatic
recurrences that may also require surgical intervention over time. There is no definitive
cure for Crohn disease and surgery is reserved for failed medical therapy or the complications
of the disease, namely, obstruction, septic complications (abscess, perforation),
and fistulas. However, the robust inflammatory environment during these periods is
not always conducive to a minimally invasive surgical approach. Despite the inherent
technical challenges, the literature has increasingly shown that laparoscopy for Crohn
disease, in the appropriate setting, is feasible and safe. In fact, it offers many
advantages, which are particularly beneficial to this subset of patients, such as
fewer wound complications, a shortened hospital course, less tissue trauma and subsequent
adhesion formation, and earlier resumption of oral intake and bowel function.
Keywords
laparoscopy - Crohn disease - minimally invasive surgery
