Bariatric Surgery in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has increased over the past several decades, with a reported prevalence of 10-12% per 100,000 person-years for both Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). In parallel, the incidence of obesity worldwide continues to increase, and both disease processes may be pathogenically linked as they occur in part because of a constellation of pro-inflammatory changes. The most effective treatment for obesity is bariatric surgery, which may also benefit patients with IBD. However, only small retrospective studies and now large database studies with short-term follow-up have been published to aid in understanding the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of bariatric surgery in patients with IBD. This chapter aims to summarize the existing literature on obesity and IBD, the perioperative considerations, technical aspects, and outcomes of bariatric surgery in patients with IBD.