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Colitis

Don't Let Colitis Affect Your Everyday Life

An inflamed and irritated colon can be very painful, affecting your daily life. Over time, it can affect your nutrition and health.

If the inflammation is present in the inner lining of the colon, the condition is called colitis. Immediate diagnosis can help identify the cause of colitis and start the appropriate treatment to prevent the colitis from worsening.

The team of board-certified colorectal specialists at Huntington Colorectal Surgeons has helped many patients experience relief from colitis and its symptoms. We can help you get back to health through timely, customized care.

Contact us to schedule a consultation. Our medical practice is based in Pasadena, California, and we serve patients from across the San Gabriel Valley.

How we diagnose
colitis disease

Our highly-experienced and licensed colorectal surgeons use the following techniques to diagnose colitis and ulcerative colitis:

  • Blood & stool testing
  • Sigmoidoscopy
  • Colonoscopy

MRI/CT/X-ray scan of the colon and abdomen
Based on the results we obtain, we identify the nature of the illness and develop a highly-customized treatment plan, suited to your unique medical needs.

How does
colitis occur?

Colitis occurs when you have:

  • A bacterial or viral infection in the inner lining of the large intestine.
  • Inflammation & injury to the colon due to inadequate blood supply (also called Ischemic colitis).
  • Allergic reaction to something you ate/drank.
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Heredity.
  • Age.
  • Lifestyle & diet.

You’ll identify the onset of colitis through the following primary symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain & cramping.
  • Bloated abdomen.
  • Watery stools (sometimes with the presence of blood).
  • Persistent diarrhea.

These symptoms will result in secondary symptoms such as:

  • High fever.
  • Acute dehydration (due to the frequent bouts of diarrhea).
  • Joint stiffness & pain.
  • Eye inflammation.
  • Excessive fatigueIf you experience a combination of these primary and secondary symptoms, please visit our Pasadena colorectal doctors immediately.

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Consultation

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Treatments for colitis & ulcerative colitis

If the colitis hasn’t ulcerated yet or the ulcerative colitis is very mild, then specially-formulated drugs may be prescribed to reduce colon inflammation. Medication may also be prescribed to manage the symptoms.

However, if your condition is severe, then surgery may be the best option. Our surgeons, led by Dr. Howard Kaufman, specialize in proctocolectomy – the surgical removal of the rectum and the colon’s diseased parts.

We are one of the premier surgical facilities in the San Gabriel Valley to specialize in robotic surgery. Our minimally-invasive procedures ensure that the incision is small, no extensive cutting is done, the healing time is short and scars are inconspicuous.

Surgery is performed under general anesthesia. After removing the inflamed and ulcerated parts of the colon and rectum, we may do one of the following to help you with bowel movement:

  • Ileal Pouch Anal Anastomosis
    A part of the ileum (the final section of the small intestine) is resected and used to create a pouch, which is attached to the end of the colon. The fecal matter from the colon is deposited in this pouch and from here, it moves to the anus for defecation.
  • Ileostomy
    Here, a small opening called “stoma” is created on the abdomen. This opening is connected to the ileum and fecal matter comes out of this stoma. You will wear a bag to collect the fecal matter, and the bag can be changed after each bowel movement.

If you have any queries about our procedure, feel free to contact us today.

626.397.5896

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Contact Us (626) 397-5896