Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center
Our Mission: To be the best Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center in the world.
Our Vision: To continue to build and improve a center of learning, compassion and integrity while treating inflammatory bowel disease through clinical care, education, clinical research and basic (laboratory) research.
Our Values: Through compassion, education, integrity, teamwork and quality care, our clinical, research, and administrative team all work together to effectively provide the best health care environment possible for our patients.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of disorders characterized by inflammation of the small intestine and colon. The specialists at UC San Diego Health System Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center diagnose and treat people with IBD from around the world. Our leadership in IBD medical research means that you have access to clinical trials for the newest therapies and advanced surgical techniques for the treatment of this challenging condition.
IBD affects an estimated two million Americans of all ages and backgrounds. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the two primary forms of IBD. They share many symptoms including stomach pain, cramping, bleeding and urgency to use the bathroom. After prolonged inflammation, IBD can lead to the development of cancers of the digestive tract. The causes of IBD are unknown.
Crohn’s Disease: Crohn’s disease involves the entire wall of the bowel (this is known as transmural inflammation). It can involve the small bowel (small intestine), the large intestine (colon), or both. About 25 percent of patients have inflammation of the small bowel only. About 40 percent have involvement of the small bowel and the right colon and about 35 percent of patients have involvement of the colon only. The main symptoms are abdominal cramping (especially if the small bowel is involved) and diarrhea (especially if the colon is involved), or if the patient has had surgery. If Crohn’s disease is not treated, the inflammation can progress to complications including bowel blockage or stricture or perforation of the bowel. Perforation of the bowel can lead to the formation of pockets of puss and infections (abscesses) or the formation of tunnels going to the skin and other organs (fistulas).
Ulcerative Colitis: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) affects the lining (mucosa) of the large intestine (colon). It can involve just the lower colon or rectum (ulcerative proctitis) or the entire colon (this is known as pancolitis). The main symptoms are rectal bleeding, diarrhea and a sudden urge to go to the bathroom.
Inflammatory bowel disease is not the same as irritable bowel syndrome.
Leading-edge care for ulcerative colitis at UC San Diego Health System.
UC San Diego Health System has made landmark achievements in medical therapy and minimally invasive surgery techniques to achieve remission of symptoms in people with IBD. Led by
William Sandborn, MD, the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center unites the expertise of gastroenterologists, radiologists, nutritional health experts, surgeons and digestive disease physician-scientists to deliver comprehensive, innovative care.
Read more about
IBD diagnosis,
treatment and
clinical trials at UC San Diego Health System.
Links
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)
A nonprofit organization dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The CCFA website has considerable resources for living with IBD, more detail on symptoms and diagnosis of CD and UC, information on developments in research and more.
MedlinePlus: Crohn’s Disease
An extensive online resource of the National Institutes of Health about Crohn’s disease. The site includes information on symptoms, procedures, research, journal articles, statistics and other patient education material provided by the US National Library of Medicine.
MedlinePlus: Ulcerative Colitis
An extensive online resource of the National Institutes of Health about ulcerative colitis. The site includes information on symptoms, procedures, research, journal articles, statistics and other patient education material provided by the US National Library of Medicine.