Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases in pediatric surgery

: Out of 147 children suffering from Crohn's disease (CD), 34 needed surgery (23%) at an age of 12.5 years, usually 4.5 years after conservative treatment. Besides acute and planned indications for surgery, the relative indication during puberty requires further knowledge of the influence of growth velocity rates for weight and height, bone retardation, Tanner stage, chronological age and open epiphysial plates. Expecting 2.3 years of postoperative remission, the chance is often missed to operate on the prepubertal child at an optimal time leading to growth failure, retardation of pubertal development and diminished quality of life.