ABSTRACT
Surgery in Crohn's disease is an adjunct in the repertoire of therapies aimed to restore normal growth and development while preserving bowel length and function as much as possible for as long as possible. Surgery in ulcerative colitis — total proctocolectomy and various restorative techniques — has evolved with ileal pouch–anal anastomosis, resulting in the excellent functional outcomes and quality of life. The pathological and clinical manifestations of the diseases are generally similar to those described in the adolescent/adult population. Multifactorial genetic, environmental, and the microbial influences to the pathophysiology are still being characterized. Adhesive small bowel obstructions (SBOs) can occur after any intra-abdominal surgery, and in this case, postoperative patients with inflammatory bowel disease do not differ. It is important to discriminate adhesive small bowel obstructions from the obstructive symptoms secondary to worsening stricturing disease in the Crohn's disease.
