Questions Answered By Expert
Scott Strong, MD
Professor of Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
A: The last segment of the small intestine (terminal ileum) leads into the first part of the large intestine (cecum) and the junction between the terminal ileum and cecum is called the ileocecal valve. Crohn’s disease commonly affects this terminal ileum and/or cecum. The appendix arises from the base of the cecum and its role is poorly understood. hide answer
A: The food we ingest passes from the stomach into the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) before entering the large intestine (colon and rectum). The small intestine is responsible for absorbing most minerals and vitamins from the food we eat, and this process transfers these important substances from the bowel lumen to the bowel wall where the minerals and vitamins enter a network of blood vessels draining into the liver. The principal role of the large intestine is to remove water and electrolytes from liquid waste to hydrate the body and produce solid waste. The large intestine also absorbs vitamins that are created by the colonic bacteria, such as vitamin K, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and vitamin B12 (cobalamin). However, the bulk of these vitamins are absorbed in the small intestine through normal processes. hide answer
A: The bowel lining is called mucosa because it secretes mucus. Patients who undergo creation of a colostomy or ileostomy without removal of the rectum can intermittently pass this mucus. Some people will pass mucus a few times each day while others will rarely discharge any mucus; most patients’ frequency is found to occur somewhere between the two extremes. The out-of-circuit bowel can also be inflamed secondary to the patient’s underlying disease or lack of mucosa nutrients normally contained within the waste. This inflammation can cause passage of blood tinged mucus that is usually of little clinical significance. hide answer
A: CT imaging of the abdomen and pelvis can show either polyps or diverticulitis. A special imaging technique called CT colonography generates three-dimensional images to examine the inside of the colon that is otherwise only seen with colonoscopy. CT colonography is merely a diagnostic procedure, and a colonoscopy is required to remove any identified polyps. CT colonography is sometimes unable to differentiate stool from smaller polyps and may not be as reliable as colonoscopy. Lastly, CT colonography is generally not recommended for patients who have active Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis because of an increased risk of perforating the colon. Standard CT imaging is used to diagnose diverticulits, which represent an inflammatory complication of pre-existing diverticulosis. hide answer
A: Patients’ weights can respond differently to having their colons removed. For example, patients who have taken steroids for an extended period of time often experience weight loss after their colon surgery because they are able to successfully discontinue their steroid therapy. Similarly, patients kept inactive secondary to their disease may lose weight after the affected bowel is removed because they can resume more vigorous activities after recovering from surgery. On the other hand, patients whose diet or caloric intake was limited by their disease, will often gain weight after their colectomy because they can return to a more healthy diet that enables their bodies to rebuild. hide answer