Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes very acute inflammation and sores on the large intestine’s inner lining. Unlike colitis from other causes; which can be treated in a few weeks, ulcerative colitis is a long-term illness and can become a permanent affliction in some patients. Ulcerative colitis can be a chronic condition, however there are many medications that can keep the disease in remission. In the event that ulcerative colitis becomes non-responsive to medication, our Pasadena surgeons can help.
Ulcerative
Colitis
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What is Ulcerative Colitis?
Signs of
ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis shows the same primary and secondary signs as colitis but poses additional symptoms as well, such as:
- Ulcers/canker sores in the colon.
- Crampy abdominal pain
- Blood in your stools
- Skin infection & inflammation.
- Bouts of severe constipation, despite the urgency to pass stools.
- Weight loss.
This condition can be very painful, at times causing immense abdominal and rectal pain. It can affect the quality of your life and peace of mind.
Types of ulcerative colitis
Depending on the location of the sores and inflammation in the colon, there are five types of ulcerative colitis:
Ulcerative Proctitis
This is the mildest form of the disease. Here, the inflammation and the sores are localized near the anus and the anal opening.
Proctosigmoiditis
The inflammation extends from the rectum to the lower portion of the large intestine.
Left-Sided Colitis
Here, the infection is localized in the descending colon, sigmoid colon, and the rectum. The descending & sigmoid colon sections of the large intestine are the sections nearest to the rectum.
Pancolitis
This is a severe form of ulcerative colitis that affects the entire colon.
Fulminant or Acute Severe Colitis
This type of ulcerative colitis is the most severe and one of the rarest manifestations of the disease. The patient experiences very serious fever, cramps, and bleeding.
In any form, ulcerative colitis can make you very vulnerable to very serious conditions like blood clots in the veins and arteries, colon perforation, liver disease, osteoporosis, and colorectal cancer. Medical intervention can protect you from these conditions.
At Huntington Colorectal Surgeons, Dr. Howard Kaufman, Dr, Gabriel Akopian and Dr. Juliane Golan have extensive experience helping patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. We can alleviate the discomfort and help prevent further inflammation and ulceration of the colon. When medications fail to control your ulcerative colitis, our surgeons can discuss what surgical options are available to you.
Treatments for ulcerative colitis
In cases where the ulcerative colitis is found to be mild, then specially-formulated drugs may be prescribed to assist in reducing colon inflammation. Symptoms may also be addressed by prescribed medications.
Cases suffering from severe ulcerative colitis may require surgery. The team at Huntington Colorectal Surgeons, led by Dr. Kaufman, are highly-trained in proctocolectomy, a procedure to surgically remove the rectum and any diseased parts of the colon.
If you have any questions about our procedure, feel free to contact us today.
