Resection Margin Involvement with Crohn's Disease and Postoperative Anastomotic Integrity

A prospective double-blind trial was conducted in Crohn's diseasesubjects in whom a resection was being performed, to assess the hypothesisthat marginal disease would adversely influence healing of the anastomosis. Of106 eligible patients. 51 completed a protocol of pathological assessment of thesurgical specimen and a water soluble contrast enema 10 to 15 days after thesurgical procedure. Six were found to have radiological leaks and three additionalsubjects had clinical leaks from the anastomosis. The proportion of leaks,both clinical and radiological, was nine of 54. There was no trend to increasing rateof anastomotic breakdown with increasing marginal disease