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Ileo-Pouch Anal Anastomosis Guide
Sometimes the digestive system does not work perfectly. Genetic disorders may cause patients to develop cancers or precancerous polyps. This is known as familial polyposis or multiple polyposis syndromes. There is no way to prevent or cure these disorders. The only treatment is removal of the colon to prevent polyp formation.
Other patients have inflammatory conditions of the colon. Traditionally, inflammations that are caused by a particular organism are called specific colitis. If a specific organism cannot be found then the inflammation is termed non-specific colitis.
Non-specific colitis can be divided into Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. About 30% of Crohn's disease cases involve only the large intestine, about 30% involve the small intestine and another 30% involve both the large and small intestines. This disease is characterized by areas of normal and abnormal tissue. In those areas of abnormal tissue, the disease will extend throughout the entire thickness of the bowel wall. This full thickness involvement can result in breakdown of the bowel, abscesses and fistulas.
Ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon. It begins at the anus and progresses upward. It involves varying lengths of the colon, but is usually superficial and only involves the bowel lining. Abscess or fistula formation is rare. However, there is an increased cancer risk in patients with ulcerative colitis. This risk is usually only significant when the entire colon is involved. The risk increases after seven or eight years of total colonic involvement, and may increase by as much as 2% per year thereafter. Both diseases may have life-threatening complications including bowel perforation, severe infection and massive hemorrhage, which are easily diagnosed.
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