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Procedure primer:
Bowel resection
for Crohn’s disease
Administering anesthesia
If laparoscopic surgery is indicated, a surgeon will make small incisions in the abdomen and insert a laparoscope and surgical tools inside.
A laparoscope is a thin tube with a light and camera that sends images to a video monitor.
It allows the surgeon to see inside the body without a large incision. This may help limit pain, scarring, and the risk of infection.
Making incisions
Bowel resection
for Crohn’s disease
Procedure primer:
Follow-up care in hospital
JAK inhibitors work inside cells to block JAK signaling activity. By disrupting signaling within immune cells, they can help prevent inflammation that causes disease.
Research has found that treatment with upadacitinib reduces inflammatory signaling and inflammation in the intestines of people with active Crohn’s disease.
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However, in rare cases, serious side effects can occur. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added warnings to some JAK inhibitors — including upadacitinib and tofacitinib — that taking these medications for long periods may increase the likelihood of developing severe effects, such as blood clots, heart effects, and some types of cancer.
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After surgery, a nurse closely monitors the person until they wake up. The person typically stays in the hospital for several days to a week. Their care team checks them regularly for signs of postsurgery complications. They may give the person pain medications, antibiotics, or other treatments to promote comfort and healing. They also give fluids and foods that are easy to digest.
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Other infections can also occur. In most cases, these are manageable, but some may be severe. Any symptoms of illness, such as fever or cough, should be promptly discussed with a healthcare professional.
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After the surgeon has made laparoscopic or open incisions in the abdomen, they use surgical tools to remove the blocked or damaged portion of the bowel. They may then reattach the ends of the remaining bowel together to allow stool to pass to the anus. If they cannot reattach the ends of the bowel, they make an opening in the abdomen for stool to pass through. This is known as an ostomy.
It may be temporary or permanent.
Resecting the bowel
Before bowel resection surgery, an anesthetist typically administers general anesthesia so the person does not feel pain during the procedure. They typically give the anesthetics through an intravenous (IV) line in the arm. They may also give gas anesthetics through a face mask.
Common anesthesia side effects include confusion, dizziness, and nausea.
Before the person goes home, their care team instructs them on caring for their incision site. They may ask the person to take or avoid certain medications, avoid strenuous physical activity, and eat foods that are easy to digest for a set period. It is also important to avoid smoking.
The person should contact their doctor right away if they develop a high fever or redness or swelling around an incision site.
Recovering at home
Sometimes, a surgeon may need to perform
open surgery or switch from laparoscopic to open surgery during a bowel resection. For open surgery, the surgeon makes one large incision in the abdomen and uses standard surgical tools to resect the bowel. The incision is usually 6–8 inches long. It allows the surgeon to see and access a larger area in the abdomen than laparoscopic surgery does.
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laparoscopic
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