Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Complications & Consequences

2023 Author: Wallace Forman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 12:25

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Complications & Consequences

In the case of chronic intestinal diseases, symptoms of illness outside the intestine, so-called extraintestinal manifestations, are possible. These side effects usually come to the fore during active flare-ups. Whether and where these are expressed on the body varies from person to person. With Crohn's disease, fistulas can occur in different places in the body, with ducts or ramifications being formed. Usually the anus is affected…

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Discomfort outside the bowel

Extraintestinal manifestations are possible on the joints, skin, eyes, liver and biliary tract, among others. More rarely, the heart, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, and nervous system (CNS) may also be affected.

The most common complaints outside the bowel are:

• Joints: Arthritis of the knee, hip, ankle, elbow, wrist or shoulder joint, for example, as well as the spine.
• Skin: reddish nodules below the skin (erythema nodosum), ulcer formation with death of skin (pyoderma gangrenosum).
• Eyes: Inflammation of the connective tissue (episcleritis), inflammation of the middle skin of the eye (uveitis) or the iris (iritis).
• Liver and biliary tract: Narrowing of the bile ducts due to inflammation and scarring (primary sclerosing cholangitis, short: PSC).

Consequences of damage to the small intestine in Crohn's disease

Schematic representation of MC and CU © bilderzwerg

One of the most important tasks of the small intestine is to make the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, etc. absorbed through food available to the body and to transfer them into the blood and lymphatic system (absorption). If the small intestine is intensely affected and damaged in Crohn's disease, this can lead to an undersupply of various substances. This can lead to malnutrition or malnutrition for those affected. In Crohn's disease, for example, there may be a reduced uptake of substances important to the bones such as calcium and vitamin D, which increases the risk of osteoporosis or its precursor (osteopenia). Deficiencies in iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and folic acid are possible.

Fistulas, abscesses, and stenoses in Crohn's disease

Complications in Crohn's disease © bilderzwerg

With Crohn's disease, fistulas can occur in different places in the body, with ducts or ramifications being formed. Usually the anus is affected. In addition, fistulas can develop to the abdominal cavity, to other organs, to the vagina, to the urinary bladder, to the skin or between two sections of the intestine. Accumulations of pus (abscesses) are the result of Crohn's disease, as well as complications such as constrictions in the intestine (stenosis) and severe cramps. Long or frequent removal of sections of the small intestine (bowel resection) poses a risk of short bowel syndrome. Ulcerative colitis can lead to a complete loss of function of the large intestine.