Procedure primer: Bowel resection for Crohn’s disease

There are several types of bowel resections a surgeon may perform depending on which part of the intestine is damaged:

• Small bowel resection: A surgeon removes a portion of the small intestine. It may be performed if a person has a stricture in the small intestine or a perforation in the wall of the intestine.
• Large bowel resection: This procedure is similar to a small bowel resection but involves the removal of damaged portions of the large intestine.
• Ileocecal resection: A surgeon removes the terminal ileum (the end of the small intestine) and the cecum (the start of the colon). It may be performed if a person has a stricture, fistula, or abscess in the terminal ileum.

Click through the interactive guide below to learn more about bowel resection.