Crohn's Disease Flashcards
The Gastrointestinal System
Crohn’s diesease
Inflammation of the digestive system that causes inflammation and tissue disruption anywhere along the GI tract
Two areas crohn’s disease most commonly affects
The ileum or colon
The ileum
The coiled part of the small intestine that connects to the large intestine. The mucosa is highly folded, increasing the surface area of absorption.
The colon
Part of the large intestine that reabsorbs fluids and processes waste products from the body to prepare for its elimination
Causative agents
Bacteria, virus, diet
Modifying factors
Genetics, environment
Impact on the epithelial barrier of crohns
The genetic defect makes it easy for the pathogens to get through, causing the immune system to be activated and leading to the unregulated inflammation.
Granuloma
A big mass of immune cells
Symptoms of crohns
Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and tenderness, dehydration, weight loss and faltering growth, fatigue, anaemia, fever, malabsorption and diarrhoea and blood stool
Reasons for malabsoption in crohns
Unable to absorb nutrients from the diet if the small intestines are damaged as they play an important role in absorbing nutrients
Reasons for diarrhoea and bloody stool in crohn’s
Damaged intestinal wall tissue, if the cells in the lower intestines are damaged, they loose their ability to dissolve water, so more water is needed to be excreted.
Treatment for crohn’s
Steroids, immunosuppressants, liquid diet, antibiotics, surgery
Benefit of steroids on crohn’s
Relieve symptoms by reducing inflammation in the digestive system
Benefits of immunosupressants on crohns
Reduce the activity of your immune system
Benefits of liquid diet on crohns
Helps to reduce symptoms and contains all the nutrients needed
Benefits of antibiotics on crohn’s
Reduce gut bacteria in the intestines and reduce the immune response as they can be anti-inflammatory
Benefits of surgery on crohns
Relieves symptoms although they will usually return elsewhere
Reasons for a ilesotomy stoma in crohn’s
If inflammation is severe and there is infection, the section removed may not be healthy enough to be joined back together, so part of the bowel is bought out onto the external skin until it has healed
Cytokines
Cell signalling molecules secreted by cells in the immune system
Types of surgery to treat crohn’s
Resection, ileostomy, draining abscesses, balloon dilation
Resection surgery in crohns
A surgical procedure to remove a portion of the small or large intestine that has been damaged by the crohns. The diseased section is removed and the two healthy ends are joined together
Why does crohn’s cause a fever?
Due to the production of pyrogens during the inflammatory response
Strictures
The major narrowing of the intestinal wall that limits the flow of the GI contents which can lead to obstructions
