Glossary

Abscess — Pus that has collected and formed into a pocket. In Crohn's disease this can also refer to a fistula that has tracked into the abdominal cavity, sometimes developing an infection.

Acute — A sudden onset of a disease; lasts a short duration of time.

Anemia — A condition in which red blood cell and/or hemoglobin levels are abnormally low. In Crohn's disease this condition may occur due to chronic blood loss; bone marrow depression; or failure to absorb certain nutrients, which are necessary to stimulate production of red blood cells.

Anus — The end of the anal canal.

Appliance — A plastic bag which is affixed to a stoma and collects waste material (stool or urine) after ostomy surgery.

Barium enema — An X-ray that looks at the colon and the lower part of the ileum.

CAT scan — Computerized tomography scan, which is a very precise X-ray that looks at specific sections of the body.

CD — Abbreviation for Crohn's disease.

Cholestyramine — A bile salt ion-exchange resin which removes bile acids from the body. It can also be used as an antidiarrheal agent.

Chronic — An ongoing disease or one that frequently recurs.

Colectomy — A surgical procedure in which either the entire colon or a portion of the colon is removed.

Colitis — An inflammatory condition of the colon.

Colon — The large intestine.

Colonoscopy — A diagnostic test used to examine the interior of the colon.

Diarrhea — A condition in which a person's bowel movements are too frequent and the consistency is abnormally soft and loose.

Elemental diet — A liquid diet consisting of nutrients that require no digestion including: amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and a little bit of fat.

Endoscope — An instrument that can look at the inside of different organs.

Enteroscopy — Using an endoscope to examine the interior of the intestine.

Fissure — A tear in the surface of either the skin or the mucosa. In Crohn's disease the wall of the GI tract is afflicted with deep, crack-like ulcers or superficial tears in the anal canal which are called anal fissures.

Fistula — A condition that occurs when 2 hollow sections, such as areas of the intestines, form an abnormal connection. In Crohn's disease sometimes ulcers channel through the gut wall to adjacent organs including the skin, bladder, vagina, intestine, and perianal areas.

5-ASA — 5-aminosalicylic acid, an anti-inflammatory drug used in the treatment of Crohn's disease.

Gastroenterologist — A medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the stomach, and the intestines.

Gastrointestinal tract — Organs involved in the digestive process including: the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, anus, liver, biliary system, and pancreas.

GI tract — Gastrointestinal tract.

Hemorrhage — Bleeding that is abnormally heavy. In some rare cases of Crohn's disease, a bleeding ulcer may burrow through the gut wall and shear an artery.

IBD — Inflammatory bowel disease.

Ileitis — An inflammatory condition of the ileum.

Ileostomy — A surgical procedure in which an opening, called a stoma, is created in the ileum, allowing the stool to exit the body into an appliance.

Ileum — The final section of the small intestine.

Immunomodulators — Medications that can increase or suppress immune responses of the body.

Inflammation — A physical response to injury or infection, in which the area affected is painful, swollen, warm to the touch, reddened, and sometimes, nonfunctional.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) — A condition involving the GI tract, which has some similar symptoms to Crohn's disease.

Lactose — Sugars found in dairy products, some processed foods, and some medications.

Lactose-intolerance — The inability to partially or completely digest lactose.

Monoclonal antibody — An antibody produced by a single clone of cells. Monocloned antibodies can be made in large amounts in the laboratory.

Mucosa — The lining of the inside of all the hollow organs in the body.

Obstruction — A condition that occurs in the small or large intestine whereby a blockage obstructs the intestinal contents from passing through. In Crohn's disease, the swelling and scarring associated with illness can contribute to the creation of this condition.

Ostomy — A surgical procedure in which an opening, called a stoma, is created in the gastrointestinal tract, allowing the stool to exit the body into an appliance.

Perianal — The area surrounding the anus.

Perineum — The area located between the anus and start of the genitals.

Rectum — The end of the colon.

Regional enteritis — The name given to Crohn's disease when it affects the small intestine.

Resection — The removal of all or part of an intestine via a surgical procedure.

Short bowel syndrome — A life-long condition caused by the removal of a large part of the small intestine, making sufficient digestion of nutrients impossible.

Sigmoidoscopy — A test that examines the lower part of the colon and the rectum.

Small-bowel enema — An X-ray of the small intestine.

Stoma — An opening through the skin that is created during a surgical ostomy procedure.

Stricture — The abnormal narrowing of a hollow organ such as the intestine.

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) — A technique in which nutrients are given to a person through an intravenous infusion.

Ulcer — A break in the skin or linings of organs. In Crohn's disease, this break often occurs in the lining of the small intestine or colon.

Ultrasound — A test that uses sound waves to examine organs.

Upper GI series — A series of X-rays which include examination of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.