Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COLORECTAL DISEASE
Volume 23, Issue 10, Pages 965-969Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00384-008-0500-6
Keywords
interdisciplinary therapy; chronic inflammatory bowel disease; anal fistula; anal sepsis
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Purpose Infliximab may represent an adjuvant to surgical therapy in patients with severe anal Crohn's disease as it has been shown to affect rapid remissions in a proportion of cases. Patients and methods Nineteen patients underwent infliximab therapy 5 mg/kg perioperatively to scheduled anal reconstructive surgery for complicated fistulising anal Crohn's disease. Results One adverse event was recorded (generalised exanthema with subsequent resolution). Eight patients showed complete clinical remission refusing further surgery. One of the eight relapsed during follow-up and was continued on infliximab. Surgery consisted of advancement flaps. It was successful at first attempt in nine of the remaining 11 patients (82%). Operative fistula closure remained unsuccessful in two patients. Overall, 16 of 19 patients (84%) with advanced anal Crohn's disease had a favourable outcome. Conclusion The use of infliximab as adjuvant to surgery in this series of patients with complicated anal Crohn's disease was safe. Although the data is uncontrolled a positive effect of infliximab on the outcome of surgery may be postulated since our results compare favourably with other studies.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available