Concepts in the Surgical Treatment of Regional Enteritis

Abstract

ALTHOUGH Crohn and Ginsburg described and established regional ileitis as an entity in 1932¹ little if anything is known about the etiologic factors that produce the syndrome. Much has been learned about its pathological features that helps to explain the symptoms and course of the disease, but the primary cause has escaped the clinical observations and researches of many investigators. Without knowledge of the causative factor, treatment must necessarily be symptomatic — in some cases discouragingly unsuccessful or when successful often marred by recurrence.Experience with the disease has given a clear picture of the course of its clinicopathological aspects. . . .