Question

A client with colitis inquires as to whether surgery eventually will be necessary. when teaching about the disease and its treatment, what should the nurse emphasize? 1 medical treatment is curative; surgery is not required. 2 for most clients, surgery is recommended only if nonsurgical treatments have been unsuccessful. 3 for most clients, surgery is recommended early in the course of treatment. 4 medical treatment is all that will be needed if the client can maintain emotional stability

Answer 1

The correct answer is that "for most clients, surgery is recommended only if non-surgical treatments have been unsuccessful." This is because of the guidelines involving medicine and surgery as well as guidelines involving the treatment of colitis. The question should have specified what type of colitis is the patient having, whether infectious or autoimmune. In infectious colitis, then surgery almost has no role and medical treatment with antibiotics as well as supportive therapy and fluid replacement are the only ones needed. In autoimmune colitis such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, while immunosuppressor drugs may have a role, surgery may be the mainstay of treatment especially those who are at risk of malignant degeneration.