Crohn's disease, a chronic
inflammatory disease of the intestine primarily in the small and
large intestines but which can occur anywhere in the digestive system between the mouth and the anus.
Named after Burrill Crohn who described the disease in 1932. The disease usually affects persons in their teens or early twenties. It tends to be chronic, recurrent with periods of
remission and exacerbation. In the early stages, it causes small
scattered shallow
crater-like areas (erosions) called aphthous ulcers in the inner
surface of the bowel. With
time, deeper and larger ulcers develop, causing scarring and
stiffness of the bowel and
the bowel becomes increasingly narrowed, leading to obstruction. Deep
ulcers can puncture
holes in the bowel wall, leading to infection in the abdominal cavity
(peritonitis) and in
adjacent organs. When only the large intestine (colon) is involved,
the condition is called
Crohn's colitis. When only the small intestine is involved, the
condition is called
Crohn's enteritis. When only the end of the small intestine (the
terminal ileum) is
involved, it is termed terminal ileitis. When both the small
intestine and the large
intestine are involved, the condition is called Crohn's
enterocolitis (or
ileocolitis). Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight
loss can be symptoms.
Crohn's disease can be associated with reddish tender skin
nodules, and inflammation
of the joints, spine, eyes, and liver. Diagnosis is by barium enema,
barium x-ray of the
small bowel, and colonoscopy. Treatment includes medications for
inflammation, immune
suppression, antibiotics, or surgery. (The disease is also called
granulomatous
enteritis).
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