What is Crohn's disease?

Also known as: Crohn's disease, Crohn disease, ileitis, regional enteritis.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes the intestine anywhere from mouth to anus (though usually affects the lower part of the small intestine called the ileum and large bowel - the colon) to become inflamed, and/or ulcerated, causing it to lose its ability to absorb digested foods (malabsorption).

The inflammation can also result in abnormal passageways between parts of the bowel (fistulas), and scar tissue (strictures) which may cause blockage of the bowel.


Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM

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