Similar Outcomes of Surgical and Medical Treatment of Intra-abdominal Abscesses in Patients With Crohn's Disease

Background & Aims: It is not clear whether medical therapy, surgery, or both is the best approach for patients with Crohn's disease who develop an intra-abdominal abscess. Methods: We evaluated data from patients with Crohn's disease who were diagnosed with a radiologically confirmed abdominal abscess (enhancing fluid collection, ≥1 cm) from 1999 to 2006 (n = 95; median age, 42.0 y; 50.5% female). Medical/nonsurgical methods (percutaneous aspiration ± drain placement) were used for 55 patients (mean abscess size, 6.9 ± 3.2 cm), and 40 patients underwent surgical interventions (laparotomy ± bowel resection; mean abscess size, 7.5 ± 3.7 cm). We investigated risk factors for abscess recurrence. Results: The median length of hospitalization was 15.5 days for patients who underwent surgery and 5.0 days for patients who did not (P < .001). The 5-year cumulative probability of abscess recurrence was 31.2% among patients who did not undergo surgery and 20.3% among those who did (P = .25). Histories of perianal or active ileal disease predicted abscess recurrence. Initiation of pharmacologic therapy after drainage reduced the risk for abscess recurrence (P < .001). Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy, compared with no therapy, reduced the risk of abscess recurrence (P = .001) in all patients, whereas immunosuppressive monotherapy, compared with no therapy, had a trend toward significant risk reduction (P = .06). Conclusions: Among patients with Crohn's disease who have intra-abdominal abscesses, nonsurgical and primary surgical management strategies result in similar rates of abscess recurrence and complications. Initiation of anti-tumor necrosis factor and/or immunosuppressive therapy when abscesses resolve might protect against intra-abdominal penetrating disease.