title: Postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease: pathophysiology and prevention.
abstract: Postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease is often inevitable. Certain risk factors such as smoking, young age, and a perforating disease behavior have been identified. Patients running an enhanced risk should be treated with mesalamine or, with higher success rates, with azathioprine. An endoscopic evaluation of the neoterminal ileum 6 to 12 months after surgery provides relevant information predicting the further clinical course and can be used as a guide to adjust medical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Haens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rutgeerts
mesh_terms: D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention