Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease denotes ulcerations in the small or large intestine.
Inflammatory bowel diseases include two types Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a disease characterized by large intestine ulcerations

Common symptoms

• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Weight loss
• Blood in stool
• Urgency (urgent need to rush to the toilet)
• Incontinence (passage of stool in cloths)

Diagnosis

• Colonoscopy and biopsy confirm IBD

Treatment

• Treatment depends on severity
• Treatment of mild disease is Mesalamines
• Moderate and severe diseases can be managed by steroids, antimetabolites, and Infliximab
• Surgical intervention is indicated for severe cases

Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is characterized by small and large bowel ulceration

Symptoms

• Pain in the umbilical region
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Abdominal lump
• Blood in stool
• Vomiting
• Upper abdominal pain
• Weight loss

Diagnosis

The extent of the disease can be diagnosed by

• Colonoscopy and biopsy
• Capsule endoscopy
• CT enterography
• Double balloon enteroscopy
• Barium study

Treatment

Treatment depends upon the disease severity

• A mild disease can be managed by mesalamine
• A moderate disease can be managed by oral steroids, and antimetabolites
• Severe disease can be managed by steroids, antimetabolites, and Infliximab
• Surgery is indicated for advanced but localized disease, and strictured disease