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
