CD - What Is Crohn's Disease | United Ostomy Associations of America

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Understanding the disease and the treatment, surgery, and care decisions you or a patient may face.

What is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s Disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract with increasing global incidence and prevalence.

In the United States alone, as of 2015, the estimated numbers of IBD patients are approximately 1.3% of the population and counting, or upwards of 3.1 million people. ¹

Around the world, those numbers are upwards of 6-8 million and some sources cite as many as 10 million IBD patients globally. ²

**Need a good diagram of CD here**

Complications of Crohn’s Disease

Abscess: An abscess is a collection of pus caused by bacterial infection.

Bowel Perforation: Severe inflammation may result in a hole developing anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract which can lead to sepsis; sepsis is very serious and usually requires immediate surgical attention.

Fistulizing disease: According to studies, 35-50% of Crohn’s disease patients develop at least one fistula ³ Fistulae are complications of Crohn’s disease that cause damage to the lining of the intestines and result in abscesses and abnormal tunnels between the intestine and other organs (e.g., bladder), or out onto the exterior surface of the skin. Many fistulae can develop within the anal and genitourinary areas (scrotum, penis, vulva, vagina, etc.), and are often referred to as perianal disease. **need a good diagram of a fistula**

Stricturing disease: Another complication of Crohn’s disease is an intestinal stricture, which is a narrowing of the intestine from severe inflammation. Strictures prevent stool from passing through the intestine or bowel and can result in intestinal blockages and sometimes bowel perforations. **need a good diagram of a stricture and how it narrows the bowel**

Presentation of Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease presents as chronic inflammation that generally affects the ileum (end of small intestine) and the first portion of the colon.

Inflammation within the intestines may create “skip lesions,” where there is patchy inflammation in some areas and no inflammation in other areas of the intestine.

The disease can occur at any age, but Crohn’s disease is most often diagnosed in adolescents and adults between the ages of 15 and 35.

Crohn’s disease can affect and penetrate the thickness of the bowel wall (throughout the small and large intestines).

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United Ostomy Associations of America
P.O. Box 525
Kennebunk, ME 04043-0525

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Call us toll-free at: 1-800-826-0826.
Our Information Line hours are Monday-Friday, 9am to 3pm (Wednesday until 2pm) EST. If you have an emergency, please dial 911 or contact your local medical professional.

Please understand that UOAA is a private, nonprofit, advocacy and informational organization. We are not a medical facility and we do not have medical or legal professionals on staff. Therefore, UOAA does not provide Medical, Mental Health, Insurance or Legal Advice.

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What is Crohn’s Disease?

Complications of Crohn’s Disease

Presentation of Crohn’s Disease

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