Does surgical approach matter in the treatment of pediatric ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder of the colonic mucosa that starts in the rectum, and generally extends proximally through the colon [1]. An estimated 20% of all patients with UC are diagnosed during childhood (< 18 years), with an incidence between 1 and 4 cases per 100,000/year. UC generally presents more severe in the pediatric population [2,3]. Medical management is typically first line therapy, however childhood-onset UC is less responsive to steroids compared to adult-onset UC [2].