IBS is an important disease entity because of its high prevalence, substantial morbidity, and enormous costs. In the USA, 7% to 16% of adults report symptoms compatible with IBS, for which up to 50% will consult a GI physician. In…
Acknowledgment The authors would like to acknowledge Drs. Benny Liu, Indhu Subramanian, and Robert Wong for their review and counsel during the development of this chapter. Historically, descriptions and investigations of diverticular disease of the colon are a relatively modern…
Acknowledgment The author would like to acknowledge the significant contributions of Richard H. Turnage, MD, and Kfir Ben-David MD, to prior editions of this chapter. Historical Perspective Leonardo da Vinci was the first to describe the anatomic location of the…
Before the routine use of endoscopic imaging with capsule endoscopy (CE) and deep enteroscopy, discrete ulcers of the small and large intestine were thought to be rare but associated with a broad spectrum of diseases. Similarly, the classic literature on…
Acknowledgment We are indebted to Dr. Scott J. Boley, who worked for decades to lay the groundwork for this chapter and who played a critical role in preparing earlier editions. Intestinal ischemia produces a broad spectrum of disorders depending on…
Total proctocolectomy with permanent end ileostomy is curative for patients with UC and returns most patients to excellent health while removing premalignant colonic mucosa in patients with UC or familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Improvements in surgical techniques and a better…
Historically, the goals of treatment of Crohn disease (CD) and UC have been achievement of symptomatic remission, namely absence of abdominal pain, diarrhea, or rectal bleeding and normalization of primarily symptom-based disease activity indices such as the CD activity index…
IBD comprises conditions characterized by chronic or relapsing immune activation and inflammation within the GI tract. Crohn disease (CD) and UC are the 2 major forms of IBD; less common, but increasingly recognized, are the microscopic colitides, primarily collagenous colitis…
Parasitic worms are found worldwide, but intestinal colonization by helminths is most common in less industrialized, developing countries. Modern travel, emigration, and consumption of “exotic” cuisines allow intestinal helminths to appear in any locale. People now acquire tropical helminths without…
Intestinal protozoa traditionally have been considered important pathogens in the developing world, where food and water hygiene are poor. A basic knowledge of the intestinal protozoa that cause human disease is of growing importance to physicians practicing medicine in the…