[Crohn disease--surgical standards].

Surgery for Crohn's disease is restricted to the treatment of complications. Even then, nearly all patients with Crohn's disease must be operated on at least once in lifetime. Surgical concepts base on the right timing for the operation, interventional drainage of abscesses, accurate pre-operative work-up to determine the extent of inflammation, and bowel conserving operation techniques. Respecting these principles, surgery for Crohn's disease can be performed with low complication rates restoring in most cases patients' quality of life.