Surgical therapy of Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis in childhood

: Surgery in children with Crohn's disease--like in adults--most frequently consists in the repair of stenoses, abscesses and fistulae. However, if growth and development are retarded, surgery must also be used to prevent irreversible impairment. Seventeen (of 32) patients were considerably retarded before surgery; 13 of these recovered to normal after operation. As regards ulcerative colitis, surgery is rarely needed in children, but if so, the indication and procedure is the same as for adults.