Laparoscopic ileocecal resection for Crohn's disease associated with intestinal stenosis and ileorectal fistula

Although a complete remission of Crohn's disease can be induced by conserva tive therapy, surgical treatment is often required for patients with intest inal stenosis or fistulas, for whom minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery appears to be most appropriate. We herein report on a 26-year-old patient with Crohn's disease, who presented with an ileorectal fistula and severe s tenosis of the terminal ileum and thus underwent laparoscopic surgery. The ileorectal fistula was divided intracorporeally using an autostapling devic e. The return to full activity after laparoscopic surgery is earlier than a fter open surgery, and the former approach is often beneficial for some pat ients with Crohn's disease. This is the first report of laparoscopic surger y for Crohn's disease associated with ileorectal fistula.