Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any portion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract but most commonly affects the small bowel. It causes thickening and scarring, leading to obstruction, fistulas, ulcerations, and abscesses. Remissions and exacerbations characterize Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease originates from an inappropriate autoimmune response in the colon … Read more
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease affecting the rectum and extending proximally toward the colon. The specific cause is unknown, but there is a genetic predisposition. There may also be a higher incidence among Jewish populations. Peak incidence often occurs between 15-30 years of age. Although food and stress do not cause it, … Read more
The pancreas, a flat, pear-shaped gland that is part of the digestive system, is located behind the lower part of the stomach and surrounded by the liver, small intestines, gallbladder, and spleen. It is composed of endocrine cells that secrete hormones like insulin and exocrine cells that secrete enzymes to aid in digestion. Pancreatic cancer … Read more
Bowel perforation, a serious medical condition requiring emergency medical care, occurs when a hole develops in the bowel wall. This can cause leakage of gastric acid or stool into the peritoneal cavity. If left untreated, it can result in internal bleeding, peritonitis, permanent damage to the intestines, sepsis, and death. This condition can be caused … Read more
Peritonitis is a serious condition that results from a generalized or localized inflammatory process in the peritoneum or abdomen with a primary or secondary cause. Primary peritonitis is characterized by blood-borne organisms entering the peritoneal cavity. Secondary peritonitis, the more common type, occurs when abdominal organs rupture or perforate (Bowel Perforation) and release their contents … Read more
Paralytic ileus, also referred to simply as ileus, temporarily slows or paralyzes the peristalsis of food particles through the lower digestive tract. It mimics an intestinal obstruction without an actual obstruction happening. It can cause various symptoms, such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and bloating. Different types of conditions can cause paralytic ileus, including: … Read more
Ascites is the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity. Several diseases cause the condition, but more than half of cases are attributed to liver cirrhosis. Heart failure, tuberculosis, chronic alcohol use, IV drug use, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and severe malnutrition are other causes that increase the risk of developing ascites. The worsening vasodilation … Read more
Colorectal or colon cancer occurs when polyps in the large intestine become malignant. The risk of this type of cancer increases with age, with most cases detected in people older than 50. There is an increasing trend of colorectal cancer in people between 20 to 49 years old due to unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, … Read more
Clostridium difficile infection, also known as C. diff, is a gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria that forms spores enabling pathogens to survive in unfavorable conditions and enable human-to-human transmission. C. diff infection causes colitis and diarrhea. Some people who have C. diff bacteria but do not have symptoms are referred to as carriers who can spread the … Read more
Abdominal pain is discomfort felt anywhere between the chest and groin. Abdominal pain may be acute or chronic pain with varying degrees of severity and characteristics. Causes of abdominal pain may include conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, gastroenteritis, and constipation. More serious causes of abdominal pain include appendicitis, cholecystitis, endometriosis, cancer, bowel obstruction, gallstones, kidney … Read more