What surgery is available to treat ulcerative colitis?
Surgery may be necessary for unremitting chronic disease that would otherwise make the person an invalid or chronically dependent on high doses of corticosteroids. In rare cases, severe colitis-related problems outside the intestine, such as blue-red skin sores containing pus (pyoderma gangrenosum) or severe blood clotting in deep veins of the legs or arms, may make surgery necessary. Surgery for ulcerative colitis usually involves removing the entire colon and the rectum.
