Pros to Know Manage Your Crohns Disease

Perianal Crohn’s Disease About 20 percent of people with Crohn’s In more advanced or complicated INTESTINAL CROHN’S DISEASE disease have a relative, most often a brother cases of Crohn’s disease, surgery may be Crohn’s disease can disrupt the normal or sister, and sometimes a parent or child, recommended. Emergency surgery is function of the bowel in a number of ways. with some form of inflammatory bowel sometimes necessary when complications, The tissue may: disease. Crohn’s disease and a similar such as perforation of the intestine, • Swell, thicken, or form scar tissue condition called ulcerative are often blockage of the bowel or significant leading to blockage grouped together as inflammatory bowel bleeding occur. Other less urgent • Lose its ability to absorb nutrients from disease. digested foods () indications for surgery may include abscess formation, fistulas, severe anal • Develop abnormal passageways CAUSES - The exact cause is not Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease or persistence of the disease despite process primarily involving the intestinal (fistulas) from one part of the bowel known. However, current theories center appropriate drug treatment. tract and perianal region. to another part of the bowel, or from on immunologic and/or bacterial cause. the bowel to nearby tissues such as the Crohn’s disease is not contagious, but it bladder or vagina, even skin Although Crohn’s disease may involve any does have a slight genetic tendency. SURGERY FOR INTESTINAL part of the digestive tract from the mouth CROHN’S DISEAE TYPES OF INTESTINAL CROHN’S to the anus, it most commonly affects the DIAGNOSIS - Tests are used to Not all patients with Crohn’s disease DISEASE - Broadly speaking Crohn’s last part of the () and/ distinguish Crohn’s disease from other complications require surgery. This decision disease is of three types: or the (colon and ), gastrointestinal conditions. is best reached through consultation with along with the perianal region. your colorectal surgeon. 1. Inflammatory type in which there is • Colonoscopy with biopsy inflammation of the intestine with • Blood tests looking for inflammatory PERIANAL CROHN’S DISEASE markers Surgery is not “curative,” but may be Crohn’s disease is commonly complicated , sometimes bloody; • Barium X-ray necessary to control symptoms in cases of by perianal manifestations. Colorectal 2. Stricturing type, in which there is • CT scan complications. A conservative approach is surgeons play a pivotal role in caring for scarring and fibrosis of the intestine these patients. Other than abscess drainage, leading to obstruction with crampy frequently taken, with a limited resection of medical management to control proximal abdominal pain; intestine being the most common approach. disease often precedes any surgical attempt 3. Fistulizing type in which abnormal to cure the disease. Surgical interventions channels or tracts form between Stricturoplasty Surgery for Correcting are indicated in selective patients but are adjacent loops of bowel, or even Intestinal Narrowing often complicated by poor wound healing between bowel and the skin. and recurrences. Colorectal surgeons have been Oftentimes, the three types co-exist to specifically trained to manage colorectal some extent. MANIFESTATIONS OF PERIANAL conditions such as Crohn’s Disease with CROHN’S DISEASE Pathology in Crohn’s Disease evidence-based medicine. With advances • Skin tags Intestinal Crohn’s Disease TREATMENT - Initial treatment is in medicines and surgical techniques, the • almost always with medication. There is SYMPTOMS - People with Crohn’s management of Crohn’s disease has changed • Anal fissure no “cure” for Crohn’s disease, but medical • Perianal abscess and fistula disease experience periods of severe a lot. Many of the patients who would therapy with one or more drugs provides • Rectovaginal and Anovaginal fistula symptoms followed by periods of remission have ended up with multiple abdominal a means to treat early Crohn’s disease and • Anorectal stricture that can last for weeks or years. Because and perianal surgeries can be spared of relieve its symptoms. The most common Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the surgeries. intestine, symptoms may vary greatly from drugs prescribed are corticosteroids, patient to patient. Common symptoms various anti-inflammatory agents and immune system modulators. Commonly Like many other disorders, understanding include cramping, abdominal pain, and education about Crohn’s disease is diarrhea, fever, weight loss, and bloating. used medications include 5-aminosalicylic the most important tool to manage and Other symptoms may include anal pain or acid (5-ASA) formulations, prednisone, drainage, skin lesions, rectal abscess, fissure, immunomodulators such as azathioprine prevent complications. If you have Crohn’s and joint pain (arthritis). (Imuran®), mercaptopurine and Disease, or are at a higher risk for Crohn’s methotrexate. Biologics treatments, such Disease based on your family history PATIENT GROUP - Any age group may as Infliximab (Remicade®), Adalimumab and recurrent perianal abscesses, then be affected, but the majority of patients are (Humira®), and vedolizumab (Entyvio®), consult a colorectal surgeon to discuss young adults between 16 and 40 years old. may also be used. management options.

Hemorrhoid Treatment Other conditions treated: • Colonoscopy Screening Siouxland’s only Colorectal Surgeon, Gokul Subhas, MD, with • Anal & Pelvic Pain UnityPoint Clinic, offers office based treatment options for • Abdominal Pain conditions such as hemorrhoids and rectal bleeding. • Irritable Bowel Disorder Trained in the most advanced techniques, he also provides • minimally invasive surgery, allowing for a faster recovery. • & Diarrhea • Anal Fissure UnityPoint Clinic®– Colorectal and General Surgery • Anal Abscess & Fistula 2730 Pierce St., Sioux City • Diverticular Disease (712) 234-8725 • Colon & Rectal Cancer • Crohn’s & Colitis • Pilonidal Disease • Perianal Warts unitypoint.org