An overview of Large intestinal Disorders
What is Large Intestine Disorders?
The large bowel, also known as the colon or large intestine, begins at the region just at or below the right waist and continues from the small intestine and up the abdomen. The major function of the large intestine is to absorb water from the remaining indigestible food matter and transmit the useless waste material from the body.
Type of Large Intestine Disorder?
Many disorders can affect the large intestine or colon, including:
1. Appendicitis
2. Chronic diarrhea
3. Colon (colorectal) cancer
4. Colonic dismotility
5. Crohn’s disease (Inflammatory bowel disease)
6. Diverticulitis
7. Fecal incontinence — accidental stool leaks/pelvic floor disorders
8. Intestinal ischemia
9. Intestinal obstructions
10. Irritable bowel syndrome
11. Polyps
12. Rectal prolapse
13. Ulcerative colitis
14. C difficile infection (Clostridium)
Signs and symptoms of Large Intestine Disorders
The types of symptoms that can occur with a large bowel disorder are dependent on what part of the large bowel is affected. These symptoms can range from mild to severe, as well as come and go with periods of flare-ups. In addition, bowel problems can accompany other symptoms, which can vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition.
Some of the more common symptoms of Large Intestine Disorders include:
1. Abdominal pain
2. Abdominal swelling, distension or bloating
3. Bloody stool (blood may be red, black, or tarry in texture)
4. Constipation
5. Diarrhea
6. Fatigue
7. Fever and chills
8. Gas
9. Inability to defecate or pass gas
10. Nausea with or without vomiting
Other symptoms may be present with a large bowel disorder which can affect a patient’s general health and wellness such as:
1. Anxiety
2. Depression
3. Loss of appetite
4. Malnutrition
5. Skin and hair conditions
6. Unexplained weight loss
7. Weakness (loss of strength)
How Is Large Intestine Disorders Diagnosed?
In order to diagnose what type of large bowel disorder a patient is experiencing or the severity of the disorder, your doctor will first conduct a complete medical history and physical examination. Diagnostic tests may also be used to assist in developing a treatment plan for your condition, and may include:
1. Barium enema.Also known as a lower GI series; a barium solution is placed into the colon, and x-rays are taken.
2. Barium swallow.Also known as an upper GI series; the barium solution is used to coat the inner lining of the esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine, and x-rays are taken.
3. Blood tests
4. Breath tests with lactose.A safe, simple and non-invasive method of assessing absorption. The test uses a nutrient that contains radioactive material which is measured in the breath.
5. Colonoscopy:A thin, flexible tube called a colonoscope is used to look at the inner lining of the large intestine. This test helps find ulcers, colon polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding. Tissue samples can be collected (biopsy) and abnormal growths can be taken out. This test can also be used as a screening test for cancer or precancerous growths (polyps) in the colon or rectum.
6. Less-invasive testing.Blood tests are available to help with a diagnosis. The Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) is a newer version of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) that detects minute traces of blood in the stool.
7. Capsule endoscopymay be performed to provide an enhanced view of the lower digestive tract which may not be visible with a traditional colonoscopy.
8. Sigmoidoscopy:A procedure used to see inside the rectum and the area of the large intestine nearest the rectum.
9. Imaging tests.X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, MRI, PET scans
10. MRI
11. Radio-nucleotide imaging:Typically used for diverticulitis and detection of gastrointestinal bleeding. A radioactive substance is injected into a vein. If there is intestinal bleeding, the radioactive substance will leak into the intestine together with the blood.
12. Ultrasound:Good for the detection of large intestinal tumors.
Treatment for Large Intestine Disorders
In some cases, your physician may suggest a few simple measures to determine if your symptoms will subside, such as:
1. Avoid smoking
2. Avoid foods that trigger the symptoms
3. Exercise
4. Increase dietary fiber
5. Maintain a healthy weight
6. Medications (i.e., over-the-counter or prescription medications)
Some conditions, such as C difficile infection, will be treated in collaboration with other Summa clinicians, including our colorectal surgeons and infectious disease specialists.
As an advanced treatment measure, your specialist may recommend surgery. Summa surgeons perform many large bowel procedures including:
1. Colon and rectal surgery
2. Polyp removal
3. Rectal prolapse
4. Sacral nerve implants/stimulation for accidental stool leakage
Frequently Asked Questions About Large Intestine Disorder
The short answer is no, it will not. There's multiple lines of research that when patients with inflammatory bowel disease are controlled against patients their same age, with their same medical problems, without inflammatory bowel disease, achieve roughly the same lifespan.
The main risk factor for cancer would be colorectal or cancer of the large bowel. And that comes, we believe, from the chronic inflammation of the colon. That's why it's a good idea to maintain close contact with your treatment team. And that's why we recommend routine colonoscopies, passing the scope up into the colon, looking for those early changes associated with cancer.
The short answer is yes. This science was actually developed for an infection rather than inflammatory bowel disease. The science has been developed over a period of about 15 years. And it really has come to age with an infection called clostridium difficile or C. diff. Stool transplants now are actually a very common tool to treat recurrent or refractory infection with this C. diff species. Because of the excitement in the infectious disease field or the C. diff field, there are numerous trials that are running in inflammatory bowel disease.
If one has a narrowing in the small bowel related to Crohn's disease, something called a stricture, diet becomes very important because if certain patients eat foods that have too much roughage or fiber, then those types of foods can cause an impaction or block the narrowing in the small bowel, leading to signs and symptoms of something we call an obstruction: Belly pain, vomiting, loud noises in the bowel. Another way diet can impact the disease is if you have damage of the small bowel, that can impact your ability to do certain types of functions in the small bowel -- like absorbing dairy products, for example.