Study to Look at Benefit of Surgical Drainage Before Beginning Medical Therapy for Crohns Perianal Fistulas

You may be eligible if

• Male and Female aged 18 years or older;
• A confirmed diagnosis of Crohn's disease and one or more identifiable perianal fistulas;
• Patient's standard of care treatment plan includes the following options: a) surgical intervention with an exam under anesthesia (EUA) by colorectal surgeon, seton placement and drainage of fistula prior to initiating Certolizumab or b) initiating Certolizumab without surgical intervention;
• Patient has had recent colonoscopy to determine disease activity and extent; and
• Patient has had either rectal EUS or pelvic MRI (type of test based on investigator site preference) which has identified one or more perianal fistulas.
• Females who are pregnant or breast feeding;
• Anti-TNF use within 6 weeks prior to study entry;
• Patients who cannot take, or refuse to take concomitant immunosuppressive therapy with either azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, or methotrexate; Unless patient has been intolerant of these therapies in the past or is contraindicated as determined by the investigator.
• Patients who cannot take, or refuse to take concomitant antibiotic therapy;
• Patients with severe anal stenosis or tenderness which would preclude colonoscopy and / or rectal EUS;
• Patients who cannot take or refuse to take certolizumab;
• Patients with active or latent tuberculosis;
• Patients who have had systemic antibiotic, antiviral or antifungal treatment(s) within 3 weeks prior to Screening for all non-Crohn's related infections;
• Patients concurrently taking anakinra (Kineret);
• Patients with a history of cancer or lymphoproliferative disease other than a successfully and completely treated cutaneous squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma or carcinomain-situ of the cervix;
• Patients with chronic hematologic problems such as bleeding dyscrasias;
• Patients with a history of demyelinating disease (i.e. multiple sclerosis); and
• Patients with congestive heart failure