I recently updated my understanding of treatments for crohns disease.
We currently believe there are two major chronic intestinal inflammatory disorders: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon the superficial mucosa is inflamed, it usually “extends proximally in a contiguous manner, and can lead to ulcerations, severe bleeding, toxic megacolon, and fulminant colitis.” If the colon is removed because the disease is severe or uncontrollable, a person is usually cured. Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, often in a noncontiguous manner, and is characterized by transmural ( Across the bowel wall) inflammation, that can lead to complications such as fibrotic strictures, fistulas, and abscesses. Ileal and colonic Crohn’s disease may represent distinct entities. Current treatments include: aminosalicylates, glucocorticoids, and immunomodulators, as well as targeted biologic therapies—monoclonal antibodies-- that neutralize cytokines that promote infl...