COSMESIS AND BODY-IMAGE AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC-ASSISTED AND OPEN ILEOCOLIC RESECTION FOR CROHNS-DISEASE

Background: The objectives of this study were to evaluate body image, cosmetic results, and quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease of the terminal ileum who had either laparoscopic-assisted or open il eocolic resection, and to determine how patients experienced the pre- and postoperative periods after both procedures. Methods: Thirty-four patients participated: 11 patients after open resection (OR), 11 patie nts after laparoscopic-assisted resection (LR), and 12 patients withou t resection (WR). Retrospectively, the patients filled out several que stionnaires pertaining to body image, hospital experiences, and qualit y of Life. One-way analysis of variance, Student's t-tests, and Pearso n's correlation were used for statistical analysis. Results: The cosme tic score was significantly higher in the LR than in the OR group (p < 0.01). Body image correlated strongly with cosmesis and with quality of life. The hospital experiences of the laparoscopic and open groups were similar. Conclusions: Laparoscopic surgery was associated with be tter cosmesis than open surgery. Patients do not experience laparoscop ic surgery any differently from open surgery.