Gen Surg: Chrons and UC Flashcards
What investigations would you do for suspected IBD (Chrons, UC)?
FBC, CRP, faecal calprotein, LFTs, stool sample, colonoscopy, CT abdo and pelvis. For Chron’s - MRI, proctosigmoidoscopy. For UC - AXR or CT for toxic megacolon or bowel perforation and to see mural thickening, thumb printing or lead pipe colon.
How is remission maintained in Chrons?
Azathioproine - 1st line monotherapy. Smoking cessation. Colonoscopic surveillance if had disease for over 10yrs with more than 1 segment affected. Refer to specialist nurse and nutritional support.
How is UC managed presenting to hospital ?
Fluid resus, nutritonal support, prophylactic heparin. Induce remission with steroids and immunosuppressive agent.
Need to maintain remission too with immunomodulatord.
Colonoscopic surveillance.
Refer to specialist nurse.
How is UC surgically managed?
Total proctocolectomy is curative. Initially, pt may have subtotal colectomy.
Name 2 complications of Chron’s
Fistula,
strictures,
recurrent perianal fistulas,
GI malignancy,
malabsorption - leading to growth delay.
Osteoporosis,
increased risk of gall stones and renal stones
What is a complication of UC?
Toxic megacolon, colorectal carcinoma, osteoporosis, pouchitis (inflame of ilea pouch).
Define Chron’s disease
Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is characterised by a transmural granulomatous inflammation which can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly the ileum, colon or both.
Epidiemiology of Chron’s
- Chronic inflammatory disease: relapsing, remitting
- Typical onset aged 15-35 years
- As common in males as females
- Genetic predisposition + environmental triggers
- Twice as common in smokers
- Increased risk of colonic cancer after 8 years
Associated infections with Chron’s
- Atypical mycobacteria
- Enteroadherent strains of E. Coli
- Yersinia
- Listeria
Define a fistula
Abnormal connection between two epithelial surfaces
Endoscopic appearance of Crohn’s disease
In Chron’s the inflammation is Transmural - what complications can this lead to?
- Longitudinal fissures - ‘cobblestone mucosa’
- deep aphthous ulcers
- stritures
Perinal anal disease: - Fistulae
- Anal Fissures
- Abscesses
What pattern on inflammation in chrons
- Skip lesions
- Anywhere from mouth to anus: but tends to skip the rectum
Why if chron’s is in the terminal ileum can you get Steatorrhoea?
pt might describe:
* white bulky greasy motions
* hard to flush away
* ‘like porridge’
- Failure to reabsorb bile acids leads to malabsorption of fat causing steatorrhoea
- excess bile acid excretion irriates the colonic mucosa contributing to diarrhoea
Why can terminal ileal disease lead to macrocytic anaemia?
Failure to reabsorb intrinsic factor leads to B12 deficiency
* Reduced absorption of folate
Presentation of Chron’s
Abdominal pain
* Diarrhoea
* Systemic illness: fever, weight loss
* Mouth and anus
* Extra-intestinal
Extraintestinal features of Chron’s
Skin:
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Erythema nodosum
Extraintestinal features of Chron’s
Eyes:
anterior uveitis, posterior uveitis
Extraintestinal features of Chron’s
joints:
- Enteropathic arthritis
(in medium sized joints e.g. knee, ankle)
typically asymmetrical and non-deforming - Sacrolieitis
similar to Ankylosis spondylitis
On examination of a pt with Crohn’s what to look for
- Clubbing
- Anaemia
- Mouth ulcers
- Abdominal tenderness
- Surgical scars
- Perianal disease
Differencials for Chron’s
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Infective gastroenteritis
- Ulcerative colitis
- Coeliac disease