2010 Volume 63 Issue 10 Pages 869-874
Intestinal complications in Crohn's disease include stricture, internal/external fistula, and massive hemorrhage. These complications reduce the patient's quality of life because surgical procedures are usually needed. Recently, many patients with stricture have been able to avoid surgery by endoscopic balloon dilatation. Anti-TNFα antibody may heal an external fistula, but is less effective for an internal fistula due to complicated stricture. Anti-TNFα antibody should also be administered to patients with massive hemorrhage. In particular, maintenance of clinical remission may not be sufficient to prevent intestinal complications and more intensive therapy may be necessary. In order to achieve mucosal healing, effective combined therapy based on the behavior of the patient's disease should be performed.
