The surgical approach for refractory ulcerative colitis

摘要

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by chronic colonic mucosal inflammation of unknown aetiology. UC is pathologically limited to the rectum and colon, facilitating definitive surgical therapy. Whereas the role of surgery in the other major form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease, is primarily to treat complications of the disease process, surgery in UC is curative for the intestinal manifestations of the disease and almost eliminates the risk of future malignancy.