Efficacy of Advanced Therapies as Prophylaxis and for Active Disease in Postoperative Crohn’s Disease: A Comprehensive Review

Postoperative recurrence (POR) in Crohn’s disease (CD) is common after intestinal resection, with over 50% developing endoscopic lesions within a year if untreated. The increasing availability of biologics and small molecules has transformed postoperative management, yet optimal strategies for prevention and treatment remain unclear. Infliximab and vedolizumab have the strongest evidence for preventing endoscopic recurrence in postoperative Crohn’s disease. Adalimumab and ustekinumab are viable alternatives supported by observational and post hoc trial data. Selective IL-23 inhibitors and JAK inhibitors have demonstrated high efficacy in moderate to severe luminal CD but lack dedicated postoperative trials. Personalized strategies, such as therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), model informed dosing and pharmacogenetic profiling hold promise for improving long-term control of postoperative Crohn’s disease. Important gaps remain, particularly regarding the drug concentrations to target, the optimal timing for intervention, and the identification of patients most likely to benefit. Approaches that integrate disease location, clinical risk profiles, and knowledge of underlying immunopathogenic pathways could provide more precise clinical guidance. Finding molecular predictors of recurrence, directly comparing cutting-edge treatments, and integrating precision medicine techniques into standard postoperative care should be the main priorities of future research.