Chron's Disease

 Has anyone has had DS while being diagnosed with Chron's disease? Negative consequences? Positive? Thanks in advance

I doubt that any reputable DS surgeon would do the DS on anyone with Crohn's Disease. Crohn's is both serious and unpredictable and can involve any part of the digestive tract but most often affects the small intestine. One of the key elements in treating anyone with Crohn's is to preserve as much of the small bowel as possible. It would be potentially harmful to have any wls that involves the small bowel, meaning both the DS and gastric bypass would be contraindicated.

Larra

 Thank you.
Someone posted that you were a surgeon. As a surgeon, is there any alternative for crohn's patients? I am just trying to get some guidelines to do some research before I go to the doctor. Thanks for your previous answers. It was very helpful.

Roxop, I have sent you a pm.

Larra

According to PubMed, Chron's can be in ANY part of your digestive tract so it would really depend on what part is affected.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001295/
Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It usually affects the intestines, but may occur anywhere from the mouth to the end of the rectum (anus).

What you need to do is find out if your gastroenterologist is on board with your surgery. Otherwise, I would go for something like a sleeve which doesn't touch the bowels.

Liz

With all due respect, Southernlady, I don't think you grasp the total nature of this nasty disease.

Just because one part of the intestine isn't affected now doesn't mean it can't or won't be affected in the future. So what part is affected today is irrelevant when it comes to having wls - even if the small intestines are perfect today, they most likely will become involved at some point in the course of the disease.

Also, The sleeve DOES "touch the bowels", because the stomach is part of the bowels - as your said, anywhere from mouth to anus, and that includes the stomach. And bowels is just another word for intestines. The stomach isn't as commonly involved with Crohn's as the small intestine, but sometimes, it is.

I totally agree, though, with your advice for the OP to discuss this complicated issue with her gastroenterologist.

Larra

I did not say "gastrointestinal" tract, I said bowels, which by definition is the part of the GI tract that extends from the pyloris valve of the stomach down to the anus...the intestines, in other words.

medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/bowel

www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp

www.fascrs.org/patients/conditions/crohns_disease/
Shouldn't surgery for Crohn's disease be avoided at all costs?

While it is true that medical treatment is preferred as the initial form of therapy, it is important to realize that surgery is eventually required in up to three-fourths of all patients with Crohn's. Many patients have suffered unnecessarily due to a mistaken belief that surgery for Crohn's disease is dangerous or that it inevitably leads to complications.

Surgery is not "curative," although many patients never require additional operations. A conservative approach is frequently taken, with a limited resection of intestine (removal of the diseased portion of the bowel) being the most common procedure.

Surgery often provides effective long-term relief of symptoms and frequently limits or eliminates the need for ongoing use of prescribed medications. Surgical therapy is best conducted by a physician skilled and experienced in the management of Crohn's disease.

Liz

 Thanks for the info. I will be writing a list of questons to take to my doctor. Thanks again.

FYI

Larra is a surgeon.  I think it speaks to her character that she didn't feel the need to bring this to our attention. 

 Thanks a lot.