Crohn's Disease

Crohn’s disease can cause inflammation and damage in the intestines, often leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, urgency (needing to hurry to the bathroom), fatigue and weight loss. Crohn’s disease may also cause extra-intestinal symptoms such as joint pain, skin rashes or irritation in the eyes. Symptoms vary from person to person, depending on disease type, location and severity, and can be unpredictable and change over time.

The investigation of suspected Crohn’s disease typically involves a combination of an evaluation of a patient’s symptoms and medical history, blood and stool tests, endoscopic examination of the gastrointestinal tract (most commonly a colonoscopy) and endoscopic biopsies  (examination of small tissue samples). As Crohn’s disease can affect the whole digestive tract, imaging tests such as MRI-scans and ultrasound are often part of the diagnostic process in order to assess inflammation and potential complications, such as narrowings (strictures) or fistulas in the bowel.

At Karolinska, the comfort and needs of the patient are always a priority. That is why we are actively working to make non-invasive diagnostic methods, such as capsule endoscopy and intestinal ultrasound, more available in the diagnostic process. 

Though inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic, with the right treatment inflammation can be reduced and patients can even achieve long-term remission. Medical options include immunomodulating drugs such as thiopurines or methotrexate, cortisone during flare-ups or biological or other advanced therapies. Complementary to or instead of medicine, Crohn’s disease can also sometimes be treated with non-pharmacological methods such as the exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) diet. Some patients may be treated with surgery to remove the diseased bowel. At Karolinska, our knowledgeable specialist surgeons utilise modern methods such as robot-assisted surgery.