Adalimumab is safe and effective in re-inducing clinical remission after post-surgical relaps of Crohn’s disease : a case report

We present the case of a 36-year-old patient with ileo-colonic stricturing Crohn’s disease that recurred after surgery, did not respond to maximal medical therapy and was only partially responsive to treatment with adalimumab administered subcutaneously. The patient underwent surgery following an episode of intestinal obstruction, revealing chronic, adhesive peritonitis, with the intestinal loops fixed strongly together, and a fibrotic stricture of the pre-anastomotic ileum. The numerous adhesions were carefully separated and the stenotic tract of ileum was resected. Following the resection the patient had an early clinical relapse, which was documented by abdominal ultrasound. The patient was, therefore, treated again with adalimumab: the new cycle of treatment achieved clinical and ultrasonographic remission of the disease. Despite the previous treatment, no side-effects occurred.