Gastrointestinal endoscopy
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Gastrointest. Endosc. · Jul 2019
Usefulness of confocal laser endomicroscopy for predicting postoperative recurrence in patients with Crohn's disease: a pilot study.
Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) has been shown to predict relapse in inflammatory bowel disease, but its value in the detection of postoperative recurrence in Crohn's disease (CD) is unknown. The aims of this pilot study performed in patients with CD after ileocolonic resection were to compare the macroscopic appearance of the neoterminal ileum, according to the endoscopic Rutgeerts score, with the microscopic findings provided by CLE 6 to 12 months after surgery and to assess the predictive values of CLE-generated parameters for predicting further recurrence in patients with postoperative endoscopic remission. ⋯ CLE could be useful in monitoring patients with CD after intestinal resection. Further studies with a larger population are necessary to confirm these preliminary results.