A new care plan developed by the Hershey-based Penn State College of Medicine may improve the outcomes of Crohn's disease complications, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Here's what you need to know:
1. This care plan aims to integrate both medical and surgical approaches to managing septic perianal Crohn's disease — a complication that arises in about 40 percent of Crohn's patients.
2. The plan uses a "decision tree" that describes what types of surgical treatment could be used at different points in time, and what their chances of healing are.
3. The researchers analyzed 135 episodes of septic perianal Crohn's disease that were treated using this protocol.
4. They found a 60 percent healing rate in these patients. Of the 40 percent that did not heal, half of the patients saw some improvement, while the other half did not heal at all.
5. The researchers hope that having these descriptions of possible treatments readily available will help to provide patients with more consistent care.