To recap…

Crohn’s Disease

• can involve “gum to bum,” and the small bowel is involved in the majority of cases
• affects full thickness of the bowel wall
• if the colon is involved, it is usually on the right side and rectal bleeding is common
• diseased sections of bowel are separated by “skip areas”
• areas of inflammation and fissures extend through the bowel wall
• main symptoms: abdominal pain, fever, and malnutrition
• complications: masses, fistulas, and abscesses are common

Ulcerative Colitis

• involves only the colon
• affects only the mucosa, except in severe cases
• colonic involvement is usually left-sided, and rectal bleeding is nearly always present
• disease usually starts in the rectum and moves up the colon, with no “skip areas”
• inflammation involves only the mucosa, except in severe cases
• main symptoms: bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain
• complications: bowel obstruction (“toxic megacolon”) may occur, but fistulas usually do not