CARE PATTERNS AND RESUMPTION OF SOCIAL AN D WORK ACTIVITIES FOLLOWINGINTESTINAL RESECTION OF CROHNS-DISEASE - STUDY IN 58 PATIENTS

The aim of this retrospective study was to describe care patterns and conditions surrounding the resumption of social and work activities af ter intestinal resection for Crohn's disease. Fifty-eight patients wer e evaluated regarding their stay in the department of surgery, use of care and resumption of social and work activities within the first yea r after intestinal resection. Data were obtained from medical records and answers to a medical questionnaire. Forty patients replied to the questionnaire. Mean length of stay in the department of surgery was 16 +/- 9 days. Length of stay was positively correlated to non-elective surgery, colonic resection, presence of fistulae or abscesses, and to the creation oi a stoma. Main interval between surgery and resumption of work was 11 +/- 8 weeks. Only one patient was unable to return to w ork because of the disease. Seventy per cent of the patients who went back to work said that their quality of life was improved after surger y in comparison with their preoperative status. in conclusion, this st udy suggests that most of the patients undergoing intestinal resection for Crohn's disease can go back to work without particular difficulti es, and consider that their quality of life has been improved by surge ry.