IBD Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis
Dictionary
The following are a list of terms that suffers of inflammatory bowel
disease and their loved ones will most likely encounter.
Where possible
the definitions have been used as they apply to inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD).
5-aminosalicylic acid
(5-ASA)- drug, commonly referred to as
mesalamine, used to treat IBD by reducing inflammation.
6-mercaptopurine (6-MP)
– immunosuppressive drug used as a
long term therapy to treat IBD by reducing inflammation.
adalimumab
– an anti-TNF (tumor necrosis factor) drug
recently approved by the FDA to treat moderate to severe
Crohn’s disease.
anemia- a
deficiency of red blood cells.
antibody - a
protein normally present in the body or produced in
response to an antigen which it neutralizes, thus producing an immune
response.
anti – TNF
(tumor necrosis factor) - Substance to
remove the protein TNF to decrease or prevent
inflammation. Remicade (infliximab) is an anti-tnf
drug.
anti-inflammatory
- a medication used to reduce inflammation.
asacol –
a mesalamine formulation that is coated with an
acrylic to delay the release to the drug until it reaches the colon.
azathioprine (AZA)
– common immunosuppressive medication used
to reduce inflammation.
barium enema
- enema in which a contrast medium (usually barium
sulfate) is injected into the rectum and X-rays are taken to search for
lesions.
biopsy - the
removal for diagnostic study of a piece of tissue from a
living body. Biopsies can be taken during a colonoscopy or
sigmoidoscopy.
budesonide (Entocort)
– corticosteroid that targets the
intestinal tract by reducing inflammation while minimizing side effects
experienced by prednisone.
Cipro
– brand name of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin.
ciprofloxacin
– antibiotic used to treat IBD by destroying
bacteria which can control inflammation.
colectomy
–surgical procedure to
remove part or all of the colon.
colon mucosa
- the inner most lining of the colon.
colonoscopy - a
diagnostic procedure in which a long
narrow flexible tube is inserted into the rectum and then advanced to
the cecum. The lining of the entire colon may be visualized
as the
instrument is slowly advanced. Most patients are thankfully
sedated
during the procedure.
colorectal -
relating to or affecting the colon and the rectum.
colostomy -
the construction of an artificial opening from the colon
through the abdominal wall, thus bypassing a diseased portion of the
lower intestine and permitting the passage of intestinal contents.
corticosteroid
- Any of the steroid hormones produced by the adrenal
cortex or their synthetic equivalents, including prednisone which is
commonly prescribed for people with IBD.
Crohn, Burrill Bernard
– American physician in 1932
who first described the inflammatory bowel disease now known as
Crohn’s disease.
duodenum -
the beginning portion of the small intestine, starting at
the lower end of the stomach and extending to the jejunum.
esophagus
– section of the digestive tract that begins below
the tongue and ends at the stomach.
fistula - an
abnormal connection between two organs, such as between
bowel and bowel, bowel and vagina, bowel and bladder, bowel and
urethra, or bowel and skin.
Flagyl –
brand name form of the antibiotic metronidazole.
GI (gastroenterologist)
– physician specializing in the
structure, functions, and diseases of digestive organs.
Humira
– brand name of adalimumab, an anti-TNF drug used to
treat Crohn’s disease.
ileal pouch anal
anastomosis - surgical procedure involving the removal of
the colon and part of the rectum. A pouch is created from the
ileum and attached to the anus.
ileum - the
third and lowest section of the small intestines.
ileostomy -
surgical construction of an artificial excretory opening
through the abdominal wall into the ileum.
immunomodulator –
an immunosuppressive drug such as
azathioprine (AZA) that lowers the body’s immune response.
immunosuppressive-
a drug that lowers the body's normal immune response.
Imuran-
brand of azathioprine, an immunosuppressive drug.
IBS (irritable bowel
syndrome) – IBS causes many of the same
symptoms as IBD including diarrhea, and abdominal cramps but IBS are
not caused by inflammation.
j-pouch
– also referred to as an ileo-anal pouch, is an
internal reservoir; usually situated where the rectum would normally
be. It is formed by folding loops of small intestine back on
themselves
and stitching or stapling them together. The internal walls
are then
removed thus forming a pocket. This pocket is then stitched
or stapled
into the perineum where the rectum was. J-pouches are created
after a
patient has had their large intestine surgically removed.
loperamide
– an anti-diarrheal medication better know as
Imodium A-D.
metronidazole
– an antibiotic used to treat IBD, can be
effective in healing fistulas and abscesses.
mesalamine
– common name for the compound 5-aminosalicylic
acid (5-ASA), a drug used to treat IBD because of it’s
effectiveness in reducing inflammation.
methotrexate
– an immunosuppressive drug sometimes used to
treat IBD when other methods have failed or patients can not tolerate
other immunosuppressives.
ostomy -
Surgical construction of an artificial excretory opening, as a
colostomy or ileostomy.
pentasa
– a mesalamine formulation which has been effective
in treating inflammation in the small intestines.
perianal -
of, relating to, occurring in, or the areas surrounding
the anus.
pouchitis -
inflammation of the internal pouch created by an ileal pouch anal
anastomosis.
prednisone -
a synthetic steroid, similar to cortisone that is used as
an anti-allergic and immunosuppressive drug and as an anti-inflammatory
agent in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and IBD.
proctocolectomy
-the surgical removal of the rectum and all or part of
the colon.
Purinethol -
brand name for the immunosuppressive drug 6-mercaptopurine
(6-MP).
Remicade (infliximab)
- an anti – TNF(tumor necrosis factor)
drug which has been shown to be effective in treating Crohn’s
disease when traditional medications have failed, including the healing
of fistulas.
seton - a
thread, or the like, inserted beneath the skin to provide
drainage or to guide subsequent passage of a tube or fistula.
short-bowel syndrome -
a complication in which there is a problem
absorbing nutrients after large portions of the small
intestines have been surgically removed.
sigmoidoscopy
- visual examination (with a sigmoidoscope) of the lower
third of the colon (sigmoid colon) in search for polyps. Also
used in
aiding the diagnosis of IBD.
sigmoid colon
– lower third of the colon or large intestine.
sulfasalazine
- a common drug used to treat inflammation
containing meslamine.
stoma - a
temporary or
permanent opening in the body, usually the abdomen that is created by a
surgical procedure, such as a colostomy.
strictureplasty
– surgical procedure involving the cutting
and stitching of only the areas that are obstructing the intestines,
or widening an obstruction (stricture) without removing sections.
TPN (total parenteral
nutrition) – a fancy way to refer to
feeding someone intravenously. Sometimes used after
surgery or in severe cases of malnutrition.
terminal ileum
- the most distal part of the small intestine.
remission
- state in which a patient’s disease is
inactive. Unfortunately this is usually not a permanent state.
resection
– surgical procedure involving the removal of a
diseased section of intestine.
TNF (tumor necrosis
factor) – A protein produced by the
immune system that may cause the inflammation associated by
Crohn’s Disease.