When intestinal pathologies occur, patients begin to be troubled by very unpleasant symptoms that significantly impair the quality of life. One of the most common pathological conditions is ulcerative colitis.
Definition and code for ICD-10
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic pathological condition that affects the mucosal tissues of the large intestine. Pathology is accompanied by hyperopathy, inflammatory processes and ulcerative lesions.
Mucoid colonic tissues become inflamed, ulcerative lesions and necrotic areas are formed on them.
Pathology occurs in patients of any age, but the most characteristic is ulcerative colitis for patients 20-40 years of age, as well as for individuals after 55.
Synonymous with ulcerative colitis is purulent haemorrhagic rectocolitis. In the classification of diseases, ulcerative colitis is assigned code K51.
Can ulcerative colitis be cured?
When a gastroenterologist diagnoses a patient with ulcerative colitis, everyone is concerned about only one problem - is it possible to cure such a pathology and how can this be done.
After all, ulcerative colitis refers to the category of chronic pathologies, which, as a rule, do not lend themselves to definitive cure. Unfortunately, it is impossible to get rid of such a disease forever, but it can be controlled.
To maximize remission and minimize exacerbations, it is necessary to strictly adhere to medical appointments, diet, take prescribed medications, etc.
The correct approach will avoid exacerbations and improve the quality of life of a patient who has such an unpleasant chronic illness.
Symptoms of
The clinic of the disease depends on the specific pathological form, but all varieties of ulcerative colitis are accompanied by rectal bleeding, painful sensations in the abdomen and diarrhea.
The remaining symptomatology is caused by the localization and scale of ulcerative lesions, as well as the severity of the pathological process.
In general, there may be such manifestations:
- Tides;
- Purulent or bloody impurities in feces;
- Diarrhea;
- Convulsive contractions in pelvic organs and abdomen;
- Swelling and tenderness of the joint tissues;
- Rapid weight reduction;
- Sensation of gurgling in the tissues of the intestine;
- Nausea and vomiting syndrome;
- Peptic ulcerations in the skin and tongue.
Pathology usually begins latently, but develops rapidly, so it starts to manifest itself very quickly.
Causes of
Specialists find it difficult to pinpoint the causes that trigger the development of ulcerative colitis, but there are a number of assumptions according to which bacterial or viral agents play a role in the development of the ulcerative intestinal process, autoimmune disorders( when there is a sensitization of immune structures to its own cells)
It was also possible to establish that the disease can be caused by a genetic predisposition. Scientists have discovered a number of genes that can be responsible for a hereditary predisposition to a similar ulcerative disease.
Classification of
Ulcerative colitis may differ in the prevalence of the pathological process or in its localization.
Picture( photo) of varieties of ulcerative colitis
In left-sided colitis, sigmoid and descending colon intestines are affected, with proctitis characterized by inflammation in the rectum tissues, and with the total form of colitis already affected the entire intestine.
Acute
Acute ulcerative colitis of patients is disturbed by painful manifestations in the structures of the abdomen, and the pain symptomatology is pulling, spasmodic, the patient has a rumbling in his stomach, he is troubled by general malaise, appetite disappears.
Chronic
For chronic forms of ulcerative colitis, the eroded manifestation of symptoms is more characteristic, the symptoms are not so pronounced, but there are always. The chronic course of ulcerative colitis is characterized by alternating phases of remissions and exacerbations.
In general, chronic ulcerative recurrent colitis can occur in two forms:
- Similar to acute form, violent and sudden;
- Slow, clinical manifestations increase gradually and slowly, and intoxication symptoms are absent.
Chronic forms of ulcerative colitis are characterized by the fact that they can flow continuously for many years.
Exacerbation of the disease
The aggravation of the pathology is accompanied by a violent reaction and a vivid manifestation of all the symptoms. Desires for defecation are increasing, mucosal and bloody impurities are present in the feces, electrolyte disturbances are rapidly increasing. If there is no treatment, then dehydration develops.
Such a condition should not be left without medical involvement, otherwise it will lead to the development of dangerous complications such as puffiness, arrhythmia, hypotension, etc. Especially dangerous is the lightning-fast form of intestinal inflammation, at which the rupture of the colonic structures and internal bleeding can occur.
Diagnostics
To confirm the pathology, the patient is assigned laboratory diagnostic tests such as a general analysis of urine and blood, feces, blood biochemistry and immunological examination.
Also used is a colonoscopy that includes rectosigmoscopy or a colonoscopy, these procedures can detect the presence of bleeding and swelling, hyperemia and ulcerations, purulent masses, etc. Also, X-ray diagnostics with a contrast solution.
Differential diagnosis with polyposis and other forms of benign and cancerous nature, granulomatous colitis or Crohn's disease, as well as colitis caused by specific factors such as dysentery, tuberculosis lesions, etc.
Complications of
With long neglect of pathological causes or improperly selected therapy, the risk increasesdevelopment of dangerous complications:
- Abundant bleeding, fraught with a fatal outcome;
- Colonic perforation, in which the integrity of the intestinal walls is disturbed, so the stool enters the peritoneum, provoking sepsis or peritonitis;
- Hemorrhoids, cracks in the anus;
- Intestinal dilatation of toxic origin, in which the walls of the bowel are stretched;
- Colon narrowing, intestinal obstruction;
- Infiltrative intestinal cancer;
- Intraorganic lesions such as pancreatitis or urolithiasis, amyloidosis or pyelonephritis, hepatitis and pneumonia;
- Attachment of the secondary infectious process.
Sometimes complications are associated with extraintestinal symptoms, which aggravate the course of colitis and provoke the development of new pathologies.
Treatment
Therapy for ulcerative colitis is complex and consists of several directions. The causes of pathology are difficult to determine, so the therapy is aimed at eliminating the inflammatory process, stopping pathological symptoms and preventing complications.
Diet and menu
It is indicated in the treatment of colitis and dietotherapy. Recommendations on the therapeutic diet are associated with the peculiarities of nutrition, which are aimed at eliminating diarrhea and removing irritation from the intestinal mucosa.
If the disease is severe, the doctor may prescribe a complete refusal of meals, until the patient's condition stabilizes.
Folk remedies
Often, patients resort to methods of folk treatment, which is justified, because there are many herbs that have anti-inflammatory effect. To such herbs include yarrow and chamomile, calendula and sage, etc.
Mint tea will soothe and provide a full-fledged sound sleep, and fresh potato juice has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.
Drugs
Several groups of drugs are prescribed for ulcerative colitis therapy.
- Anti-inflammatory treatment .Prescribed drugs like Mesalamina. To rule out additional irritation of the intestine, the drugs are administered in the form of suppositories of rectal administration or in the form of enemas. If there are extensive intestinal lesions, then the reception is done inside.
- Corticosteroid preparations like Prednisolone. In difficult cases additionally prescribed immunosuppressive drugs like Cyclosporine.
If complications such as bleeding, colonic perforation, intestinal stenosis develop.
Operation
Surgical treatment is important in the therapy of ulcerative colitis. Usually an indication for surgery is the absence of the effect of conservative therapy, dilatation or perforation of the intestine, bleeding, etc.
Colectomy is usually performed, involving the removal of part of the intestine.
Disability
Patients with ulcerative colitis can be assigned a disability group. The first group consists of cases of severe forms of ulcerative colitis, when the pathological inflammatory process spread throughout the intestine. The second group is assigned to patients with complications such as stroma.
A third group of disabilities can be assigned to those patients when intestinal processes characterize the distal shape. Such a course of the ulcer process makes it impossible for the patient to find work.
Prevention of
Substantial prevention measures to avoid probable effects are not developed, because the exact causes are not known. Therefore, it is rather difficult to prevent complications. And there is no special program for this.
It is important to follow the recommendations on nutrition, give up alcohol, and other medical prescriptions.
Video about nonspecific ulcerative colitis of the intestine: