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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    When it considered necessary to have surgery for Crohn's disease?

    Related Topics
    Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis Digestive Health
    and are there any risks involved?
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  • Genevieve Michael

    Dietitian

    Having gathered 28 years of private practice experience , Genevieve wants to assist people with practical changes to their food and lifestyle issues in order … View Profile

    If you have Crohn's disease, hopefully you are in the care of a Gastroenterologist!
    When the affected sections of the gut are no longer functioning, or they have acquired replacement tissue whilst repairing that restricts the passage of food through the gut, then it will be necessary to remove this tissue.
    This doctor will be the one to make the decision. It will only be made after a colonoscopy or endoscopy procedure.

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  • Dr Simon Benstock

    Gastroenterologist

    Dr Simon Benstock completed his advanced training in Gastroenterology at Prince of Wales and St Vincent’s hospitals in Sydney. His major interests are colon cancer … View Profile

    These days, medical therapy has improved to an extent where it's much rarer to require surgery for Crohn's disease. Ten to twenty, light surgery used to be considered for many patients with Crohn's and often it didn't result in a good outcome for the patient, because it would come back in other areas. These days, surgery really should be reserved for patients with stricture, which means a narrowing in either the large or small bowel because, by definition, they cannot be reopened unless endoscopically or with surgery or sometimes for fistuli. But particularly perianal disease which means disease very close to the bottom, which often needs surgery to be fixed but this is also in conjunction with medication. These would be the two main indications to surgery for Crohn's.

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  • Kathy Howson

    HealthShare Member

    The biggest issue about surgery for a patient is making the decision once the surgeon recommends it.

    Once things get bad with Crohns then Yes it is worth having the surgery, even with the risks, to get back a quality of life especially if trying to live with a bowel stricture and not being able to eat or enjoy life. I have had my strictures cut out and never regretted the surgery even if I did have a complication from it.

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