My aunt has crohn's disease. When would a complete removal of the rectum and most of the colon be the answer? My aunt has had severe crohns for about 5 years now. She has done all she could to avoid having surgery. Up until recently all the doctors had said she should get a colostomy bag and allow her rectal area to heal. She has several fistulas and a lot of scar tissue near her rectum. It has gotten so bad now that the doctors say, it would be best to remove her rectum and mostly all of her large intestine. She has been on imuran and remicade. They said they can not remove the scar tissue from her anal area, because it would leave her incontinent. Does diseased tissue have any chance at all to heal? I dont understand why they dont even try to do a reversible surgery? Why does such a drastic surgery have to be done? From what I have read, it sounds like, she will be in less pain though. No woman wants to have something like this done. It is just awful.

Summarized question: What are treatments for Crohn's disease?