A surgical experience with Crohn's disease.

From 427 histories of patients with Crohn's disease admitted to St. Michael's Hospital between 1 January 1974 and 31 March 1983, 152 patients were studied as each had at least one operation related to the disease. The age at onset of symptoms, the interval between onset of symptoms and operation, the site of disease, operations performed, the type and frequency of repeat operations and the morbidity, mortality and follow-up period were studied. The small intestine only was involved in 55 per cent of the patients, the large intestine only in 16 per cent, and both the small and large intestine in 29 per cent. The most frequent indication for operation was obstruction (29 per cent); the next was perianal disease (18 per cent). The most common procedure was resection of the lowest segment of the small intestine with adjacent colon (37 per cent). The second most common operation was perianal operation (19 per cent). There were three deaths (2 per cent mortality rate). One hundred and thirty patients (93 per cent) have been examined within the past three years. Life tables show the cumulative chance of having an operation for Crohn's disease.