Will I need surgery for Crohn's disease?

Crohn's disease is one form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract develops, with the inflammation extending throughout the intestinal wall.

People with Crohn's disease find they need surgery within the first 10 years, usually somewhere between the eighth and 10th year.

In order to fight Crohn's disease, your doctor might recommend one of the following surgeries:

• Stricturoplasty - In this procedure, the doctor opens up an area of the intestine that has gotten smaller because of Crohn's. The area of the intestine that has narrowed is called a stricture. The doctor does not remove any of the intestine in this surgery.
• Colon or small bowel resection - In this surgery, the damaged part of the intestine is removed and the two healthy ends are sewn back together.
• Colectomy-. The doctor removes either a part of the colon, or the entire colon and rectum. The body needs the colon to move and get rid of waste. So after a colectomy the doctor must create a new way for waste to leave the body. The most common way to do this right now is for the surgeon to create an opening in the abdomen called a stoma and providing a link to a pouch that's worn over the opening. The stoma allows stool to drain from the intestines and the pouch collects the waste. It's emptied throughout the day.

You need to be aware that surgery, even the most radical procedure, is not a cure for Crohn's. Right now there is no cure. So you need to discuss these options carefully with your doctor.
Eventually between 50 and 60 percent of people who've had surgery experience relapses.