Crohn's Disease
Crohn's Disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease running. There will be a relapsing the destruction of intestinal mucosa. Affected all parts of the digestive tract, including the esophagus be.
The causes are still unknown. It can be assumed that in addition to the disruption of the immune system and other factors that play such a family history, dietary factors and certain bacteria play a role.
Frequency
About three new cases occur annually in 100,000 inhabitants. As with ulcerative colitis even here the incidence of the disease in the last 20 years has increased significantly.
Symptoms
- Watery liquid stool
- Cramping pain
- Weight loss
Diagnosis
- The diagnosis is the same as in ulcerative colitis. First, a radiographic representation of the intestine with the help of contrast medium is necessary for other needs a colonoscopy to be carried out with a collection of tissue samples (biopsy) and their histological examination (histology).
- In about 10% of cases, no clear demarcation of ulcerative colitis is possible.
Complications
- Fistulas (connections between the intestine and other hollow organs, eg the bladder)
- Bowel obstruction
- Intestinal breakthrough
- Severe intestinal bleeding