Surgical Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in the Elderly

The prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in the elderly population is increasing, reflecting ageing in the general population and late-onset of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). Both CD and UC in elderly patients show specific clinical characteristics, changing the algorithm of the medical and surgical treatment. Immunomodulators and biologics are rarely used in patients over 65 years due to the risk of septic complications. Surgery involves less invasive and simpler procedures, favouring safety over functional results. The revision of our series and a careful analysis of the literature do not support this clinical approach, because the short-term results of surgery are the same in young and elderly IBD patients.