Crohn’s Disease at Low Postoperative Risk of Recurrence — Nonsmoker, No Penetrating Disease, No Prior Resection

This protocol addresses patients with Crohn’s disease who have undergone a first surgical resection and carry a low risk of postoperative recurrence. The combination of clinical features present in this population supports a conservative post-surgical strategy rather than immediate medical treatment.

Patients in this low-risk category meet all of the following criteria:

• Nonsmoker
• No penetrating disease behaviour
• No prior surgical resection — this is the first surgery

Further characteristics that place a patient in this low-risk group include older age (>50 years), surgery performed for a short segment of fibrostenotic disease (<10–20 cm), and a long disease duration (>10 years).

In this low-risk population, immediate initiation of medical therapy after surgery is not the recommended course. Instead, a structured observational approach is taken, with endoscopic assessment performed at a defined interval postoperatively to evaluate whether recurrence has developed. The complete protocol — including the follow-up schedule and criteria for any further intervention — is available in the full structured regimen below.