Can surgery cure ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease?
Surgery is curative for ulcerative colitis, but not for Crohn’s disease. Surgery is usually performed for disease that does not get better despite medications, if severe medication side effects develop or for other complications of the underlying inflammatory bowel disease. Children undergoing removal of their colon for ulcerative colitis can have a pouch fashioned of small intestine that serves as a reservoir for stool and takes the place of the rectum. Children undergoing surgery for Crohn’s disease generally do so for development of a specific complication of their disease or their medication. Because Crohn’s disease always comes back following surgery patients are usually continued on maintenance medications following surgery to cut down how quickly or how severely the disease comes back. Also the amount of bowel removed is limited in patients with Crohns disease in order to prevent additional problems with absorption of nutrients after surgery. Patients still require regular follo
