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Crohn’s Disease

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Anal Fistula

Abstract

Perianal and rectovaginal fistula are common and challenging problems for patients with Crohn’s disease. The initial steps in treating Crohn’s fistula patients revolve around obtaining control of the underlying intestinal disease. Optimum medical therapy must be implemented if surgical treatment is going to be successful. Several different surgical treatment options exist, and depend on the size, number, and location of the fistula, as well as the gender of the patient. These include fistulotomy/fistulectomy, plugs, glues, advancement flaps, tissue transposition, and the LIFT procedure. Though many of these options have shown promise, recurrence rates remain high, and further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of these patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Baylor University Medical Center, 3500 Gashan Ave, Dallas, TX, 75204, USA

    James Fleshman M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.S.C.R.S. & Rachel Tay M.D.

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  1. James Fleshman M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.S.C.R.S.
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  2. Rachel Tay M.D.
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Correspondence to James Fleshman M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.S.C.R.S. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Herand Abcarian

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Fleshman, J., Tay, R. (2014). Crohn’s Disease. In: Abcarian, H. (eds) Anal Fistula. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9014-2_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9014-2_19

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