Biologics in peri-operative management of Crohn's disease

The role of biologics for peri-operative Crohn's disease will remain specul ative until the accumulation of clinical trial data. The potential position ing of peri-operative biologic therapies includes the prevention of surgery , minimizing surgical morbidity or prevention or delaying post-operative di sease recurrence. To date, there is limited, indirect data regarding the po tential for infliximab to prevent surgery via the effective treatment of re fractory disease and the improvement in fistulizing disease. Although there is no controlled data regarding the impact of biologics on surgical morbid ity, patients with stricturing disease have undergone resection without add ed morbidity. Post-operative trials are certainly needed to ascertain the i mpact on the inevitability of disease recurrence.