[Changes in the clinical picture and surgical therapy of Crohn disease. 10 years experiences].

Changes in clinical presentation of Crohn's disease (CD), patients' age at the time of disease manifestation and operation, general condition and duration of medical management were investigated in a retrospective study. 395 operations for CD were divided into consecutive groups and analysed. In an increasing number of cases patients presented with the "fibrostenotic type" rather than the "fistulizing type" of complaints. The duration of disease and of medical management increased. Patients in later groups were younger and in better general condition. We found a rise in frequency of patients with recurrent CD or prior abdominal surgery for other reasons. Primary surgery for CD increasingly consisted of resection of solitary segments of gut; in the case of recurrence, of multiple, minimal resections. The average total length of the resected intestine could be significantly reduced. The complication rate was equal in elective and emergency surgery.