Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease can progress to cause bowel damage, which in severe cases can lead to the patient requiring surgery. Patients may also have symptoms of bowel obstruction such as bloating, abdominal pain, stomach distention, nausea and vomiting, and even constipation.

This is often caused by narrowing to parts of the intestine (strictures) preventing food from moving through the bowel, therefore potentially causing a blockage. Multiple areas of narrowed bowel/strictures are known as ‘skip lesions’.

Bowel perforation is a rare medical emergency and patients may present with a fever, severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Some CD patients develop a fistula (a tract connecting one organ to another).

Ulcerative colitis

Complications of ulcerative colitis include persisting toxic megacolon (an acute form of colonic distension), perforation, severe bleeding and malignancy.