h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Having suffered from Crohn's, I'm a little baffled by the info given regarding "the whole gut". Did Dr Crohn's initial research publish findings stating that the entire Digestive Tract was involved when diagnosing "Crohn's Disease"?
Two of my specialists have said that Crohn's ONLY affects the Small Intestine; including the ileo-caecal valve. According to both, inflammation/disease in the large intestine procurs the diagnosis of "Crohn Type" Disease.
Obviously, I'm no specialist. So would appreciate any feed-back re my query as to Crohn's Medical Research, and whether further research findings have since been published stating that the entire digestive tract is actually involved.
Thanks in advance for any feed-back folks.

Thank you for reading the entry - Crohn's disease *is* a mouth-anus disease, and it affects the whole gut - although not all at once; hence the characteristic 'skip lesions'.

The *most common* area of involvement is the terminal ileum, however, it can also commonly result in apthous ulcers in the mouth, small bowel disease, and perianal disease. It is the pan-bowel distribution of disease (and the type of inflammation), and the skip lesions which didtinguish it from ulcerative colitis, which predominantly affects the descending colon only.

I have provided the following link for your information - it is from the BMJ, and I hope that also clarifies the issue

http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/319/7223/1480?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&titleabstract=crohn%27s+disease&searchid=1027081651399_4574&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=1,2,3,4,10

Thank you again for reading the entry,
WD

And, thank you for providing the very informative and educational Guide Entry. As you mentioned the subject of bowel diseases isn't exactly a topical conversation (yet!)

Hi

my specialists too have told me that it can affect any part of the digestive tract. In fact when I was initially diagnosed crohns was present in many areas of my intestines - though more recent flare-ups seem to concentrate in the terminal ilieum area.

But of course - I too am no expert and can only go on what I've been told.

Thanks Cal, It's illuminating realising that I'm not the only one who's been through the medical treadmill re. Crohn's.