Restricted enteritis, also known as Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory granulomatous disease, is described below in terms of its pathological features, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examination, complications and treatment.
1. Pathological features: it can occur in any part of the whole digestive tract, preferably in the terminal ileum and adjacent colon, intestinal ulcers are segmental distribution, longitudinal ulcers, cobblestone-like appearance.
2. Clinical manifestations: abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss. Abdominal pain is periumbilical or right lower abdominal pain. The diarrhea is acute and severe, and there may be mucous blood stools. Prolonged malnutrition can lead to weight loss.
3. Auxiliary examination: colonoscopy is preferred, and tissue biopsy, fecal occult blood test can also be done.
4. Complications: intestinal obstruction is the most common, followed by abdominal abscess, which may occasionally be complicated by acute perforation or massive blood in stool. The risk of cancer increases if the inflammation is prolonged.
5. Treatment: drug treatment is preferred, aminosalicylic acid drugs such as mesalazine are preferred for mild cases, glucocorticosteroids such as budesonide are preferred for moderate and severe cases, and immunosuppressants such as azathioprine or mercaptopurine are preferred for ineffective cases.
The disease can be improved by treatment, and some patients can be relieved on their own. However, most patients have recurrent episodes that do not resolve, and some of them require surgery due to complications during the course of the disease.