Treatment for Crohn's Disease

Treatment for Crohn's Disease

Medical management of Crohn's Disease focuses on reducing symptoms and bringing on remission. Once this is accomplished, the goal is to maintain remission for as long as possible. Most of the medications used to treat Crohn's Disease are generally safe for long-term use. These include 5-ASA compounds, steroids medications that suppress the immune system, antibiotics and infliximab. 

Infliximab is a drug designed to target a specific biological substance. This medication is used for :

1. Diseases that do not respond to standard treatments. 
2. Individuals who are unable to be weaned off steroids 
successfully. 
3. Promoting healing of stubborn fistulas. 

Flare-ups are typically treated with steroids, immunosuppressive drugs, 5-ASA compounds, anti-TNF agents or antibiotics or a combination thereof. In addition, a pharmaceutical regimen is often followed to maintain remission once it is achieved. 

Surgery for Crohn's Disease 

More than half of all people who live with Crohn's Disease will need to have surgery at some point to treat the disease. Surgical treatments include : 

1. Correction of a fistula ( an inappropriate opening through the 
intestinal wall ) or fissure ( a deep crevice in the skin around the anus). 
2. Draining of an abscess ( a pocket of infection on the bowel wall or outside the bowel wall near a portion of the diseased bowel tissue ) . 
3. Opening of a Stricture (narrowing) or obstruction of the bowel.
4. Removal (resection) of a segment of the diseased tissue. 

Surgery does not cure Crohn's Disease, but corrects an immediate problem that cannot be resolved using medication. Four types of surgery are commonly performed on individuals with Crohn's Disease - partial :

 1. Bowel resection, to remove a diseased portion of the intestine; 

2. strictureplasty, i.e. correction of the stricture; 

3. Correction of fistulas; and 

4. Draining of an abscess. 

Introduction of Crohn's Disease
Causes and Symptoms of Crohn's Disease
Diagnosis and Complications of Crohn's Disease
Treatment for Crohn's Disease