Crohn's Disease Health Article

Prognosis

Crohn's disease is a life-long illness. The severity of the disease can vary, and a patient can experience periods of time when the disease is not active and he or she is symptom-free. However, the complications and risks of Crohn's disease tend to increase over time. Well over 60% of all patients with Crohn's disease will require surgery, and about half of these patients will require more than one operation over time. About 5–10% of all Crohn's patients will die of their disease, primarily due to massive infection.

BOOKS

Glickman, Robert. "Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease." In Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, ed. Anthony S. Fauci, et al. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.

Long, James W. The Essential Guide to Chronic Illness. New York: Harper Perennial, 1997.

Saibil, Fred. Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, 1997.

PERIODICALS

Peppercorn, Mark A., and Susannah K. Gordon. "Making Sense of a Mystery Ailment: Inflammatory Bowel Disease." Harvard Health Letter 22, no. 2 (December 1996): 4+.

Sachar, David. "Maintenance Strategies in Crohn's Disease." Hospital Practice 31, no. 1 (January 15, 1996): 99+.

ORGANIZATION

Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc. 386 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10016-8804.(800) 932-2423.

Rosalyn S. Carson-DeWitt

KEY TERMS

Abscess—A walled-off pocket of pus caused by infection.

Endoscope—A medical instrument that can be passed into an area of the body (the bladder or intestine, for example) to allow examination of that area. The endoscope usually has a fiber-optic camera that allows a greatly magnified image to be shown on a television screen viewed by the operator. Many endoscopes also allow the operator to retrieve a small sample (biopsy) of the area being examined to more closely view the tissue under a microscope.

Fistule—An abnormal channel that creates an open passageway between two structures that do not normally connect.

Gastrointestinal tract—The entire length of the digestive system, running from the stomach, through the small intestine, large intestine, and out the rectum and anus.

Immune system—The body system responsible for producing various cells and chemicals that fight infection by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other foreign invaders. In autoimmune disease, these cells and chemicals turn against the body itself.

Inflammation—The result of the body's attempts to fight off and wall off an area that is infected. Inflammation results in the classic signs of redness, heat, swelling, and loss of function.

Obstruction—A blockage.

Ulceration—A pitted area or break in the continuity of a surface such as skin or mucous membrane.