Crohn's Disease

First, I must express my appreciation to Dr. David Beck for having allowed me the privilege of designing, coordinating, and editing this issue. Second, I wish to express my appreciation to each of the authors of the nine articles who have used their world-acclaimed expertise to discuss in a very user-friendly format nine key themes, which all of us need in the management of Crohn's disease.

The articles in this issue, authored from a variety of sources around the country, include Dr. Jamie Barkin from the University of Miami gastroenterology program at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. Drs. Barkin, Feldman, and Wolfson have consolidated their knowledge in a very compressed, but detailed and current format describing the medical options in the management of patients with Crohn's disease.

Drs. Bashar Safar and Dana Sands, from Cleveland Clinic Florida, describe the methods of assessment and surgical management of the anorectal manifestations of Crohn's disease including septic and nonseptic complications.

Also from Cleveland Clinic Florida, Drs. Sanjay Jobanputra and Eric Weiss detail the methods of strictureplasty in patients with small intestinal Crohn's disease.

Drs. Tonia Young-Fadok and Jonathan Efron from the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, describe some of their very important steps in the preoperative optimization of patients with Crohn's disease. These patients can develop significant postoperative morbidity and preoperative optimization is key to helping to insure postoperative success.

Drs. Steven Mills and Mike Stamos, from the University of California at Irvine, detail the options in the surgical management of colonic Crohn's disease. This particular facet of Crohn's disease tends to be less seen by some surgeons than does anorectal or small bowel Crohn's disease; their advice is very welcome.

Drs. Benjamin Person and Marat Khaikin from Cleveland Clinic Florida have used considerable resources to outline the options for restorative operations for Crohn's disease and Drs. Jill Genua and David Vivas have detailed all of the steps and options for the management of nonhealing perineal wounds.

Drs. Alfred Trang, Murali Naidu, and Barry Salky from the Mount Sinai Hospital and Medical School in New York detail what is certainly one of the largest experiences in the world with the laparoscopic management of Crohn's disease as presented by one of the most technically gifted and respected authorities. They certainly shed light upon this burgeoning methodology.

Drs. Robert Cima and Bruce Wolff, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, outline steps, including strictureplasty, which can improve the safety in patients undergoing repeat operations for Crohn's disease.

I am confident that each and every reader of this issue will find the subject matter as informative, interesting, and well presented as I did in editing these articles. I would like to again thank all of the authors for their hard work and Dr. Beck for his confidence.

I wish to express my sincerest appreciation to Elektra McDermott, who has once again manifest her skills in her invaluable methodology of assisting me with the preparation of this issue.

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On a personal note: This issue is dedicated to the memory of my father Justice Ira H. Wexner, whose guidance, love, and encouragement will live in my heart throughout my life.