Crohn's Disease - Highlights

Highlights

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are inflammatory bowel diseases. All inflammatory bowel diseases cause chronic inflammation in the digestive system. Crohn’s disease is most commonly is found at the end of the small intestine (ileum) and the beginning of the large intestine (colon), but it can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract (digestive system).

Symptoms

Specific symptoms of Crohn’s disease vary depending on where the disease is located in the intestinal tract (ileum, colon, stomach, duodenum, or jejunum). Common symptoms of Crohn’s disease include:

• Abdominal pain, usually in lower right side
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Rectal bleeding
• Fever
• Nausea and vomiting
• Skin lesions
• Joint pain

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Complications

Crohn’s disease can cause many different kinds of complications:

• Blockages or obstructions in the intestinal tract are the most common. Fistulas and abscesses around the anus can also occur.
• Malnutrition is a concern.
• An increased risk for colorectal cancer for patients who have had inflammatory bowel disease for more than 8 years, or who have extensive and severe disease. These patients. should receive more frequent screening with colonoscopy.

Treatment for Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is a chronic condition that cannot be cured, but appropriate treatment can help suppress the inflammatory response and manage symptoms.

• Diet and nutrition management and help patients control their symptoms and improve their nutritional status.
• Various medications are used to resolve symptoms (induce remission) and prevent disease flare-ups (induce remission).
• Most patients with severe Crohn's disease eventually need surgery when medications and diet and lifestyle changes no longer help. Surgical procedures include strictureplasty, resection, colectomy, and proctocolectomy.

Review Date: 09/28/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).