Patient was educated on the complications of Crohn’s disease as follows:
- Severe bleeding with blood loss in stool
- The inflammation can lead to ulcerations in the intestines, leading to hemorrhage and bleeding.
- Diffusely swollen small intestine
- Crohn’s disease involving the small intestine can result in diffuse thickening of the wall, narrowing the lumen of the intestines and causing obstruction of the small intestine.
- Diffusely swollen colon
- Crohn’s disease involving the colon can result in inflammation in the wall of the colon, resulting in rapid diffuse swelling of the colon, a toxic megacolon.
- This can result in obstruction of the large intestine.
- Fistula formation
- As Crohn’s disease involves the entire thickness of the intestinal wall, the ulcers can break through the entire wall and result in abscess formation and necrosis of the entire wall.
- Fistula can develop connecting the intestines with other abdominal organs, such as, urinary bladder, leading to recurrent urinary tract infections.
- The fistulas can open on to the skin surface, as well.
