Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a type of chronic, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that occurs in the colon with symptoms developing slowly over time. It stems from an inflammation of the colon lining where small, open sores form and produce mucous and pus. This irritation of the lining of the large intestine, or colon, eventually results in persistent abdominal discomfort and diarrhea and sometimes can cause life-threatening complications.
Ulcerative colitis is classified based on its location within the colon. The mildest form of the disease is called ulcerative proctitis and is found in the area of the colon closest to the rectum. Another form of the disease, proctosigmoiditis, occurs in the sigmoid colon, or the area around the rectum and lower end of the colon. If the inflammation expands from the rectum to the upper left stomach area, it is diagnosed as left-sided colitis. Pancolitis extends beyond the left side of the colon and can affect the entire colon, causing more severe and constant symptoms. The most rare and potentially life-threatening type of ulcerative colitis is fulminant colitis, which can lead to a rupture or rapid expansion of the colon. There is no known cure for ulcerative colitis, and treatments usually focus on suppressing symptoms and potentially inducing a long-term remission of the disease.
Why UAB
UAB Medicine is known worldwide as a leading center for digestive and liver disorders. Our gastroenterology and gastrointestinal (GI) surgery program is consistently recognized for excellence by U.S. News & World Report. We see more than 20,000 patients and perform more than 12,000 outpatient procedures each year.
UAB has a notable history in this medical specialty. Basil Hirschowitz, MD – who founded our program more than 50 years ago – was the inventor of the endoscope, a tubular, flexible instrument equipped with a tiny camera that is used to look deep inside the body. His invention revolutionized gastroenterology and GI surgery care. Our interventional endoscopy group, which includes endoscopic ultrasound technology, is one of the busiest in the country and has grown to become one of the most respected programs of its kind.
UAB continues to lead the advancement of gastroenterology with many active research trials that offer the latest in drug therapy and treatment for digestive disorders. Our physicians and scientists are searching for causes and cures for many illnesses through basic research, including studies of the bacteria that inhabit our intestines and affect our health.
CLINICAL TRIALS
UAB is an active participant in research and clinical trials for the diagnosis and treatment of ulcerative colitis. We encourage you to speak to your physician about research and clinical trial options and browse the link below for more information.
View Clinical TrialsMore from UAB
Around the Web
nih.gov
Latest Headlines
-
UAB Dietitians Reveal Their ‘Guilty Pleasures’
- Publish Date
- 2/14/19
-
Medications and Kidney Disease: What You Should Know
- Publish Date
- 2/14/19
-
Women in Medicine Spotlight: Jayme Locke, MD
- Publish Date
- 1/31/19
-
UAB Medicine Supports Heart Month 2019
- Publish Date
- 1/30/19
-
VIDEO: Celebrating National Women Physicians Day
- Publish Date
- 1/28/19
-
UAB Clinicians You Should be Following on Twitter: Part II
- Publish Date
- 1/22/19
-
Genome: Unlocking Life's Code
- Publish Date
- 1/16/19
-
UAB Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology 2018 Facts & Figures
- Publish Date
- 1/16/19
-
UAB Faculty and Fellows Active in American College of Rheumatology Leadership
- Publish Date
- 1/3/19
-
Faculty Spotlight: Laura B. Hughes
- Publish Date
- 1/3/19
UPCOMING CLASSES AND EVENTS
- Genome: Unlocking Life's Code
Do you have your mother’s dimples? Or your father’s hairline? What makes us, us? And how much of it actually sets us apart from every other living thing on Earth?
Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code begins to unravel the mystery behind the complete set of instructions needed for every living thing on Earth to grow and function: the genome. Discover how your genome could be the key to maximizing your future quality of life as genomic science helps open the way to more personalized healthcare. See yourself in a new way: as an individual, as a member of a family, and as part of the diversity of life on Earth.
Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code opens January 19 at McWane Science Center and was made possible in part by financial support secured by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. The exhibit is sponsored by UAB Medicine, which is using its knowledge of the human genome to advance the field of precision medicine, an exciting approach to health care that combines the absolute latest in the prediction and prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease to deliver truly individualized patient care.
Related Links
nih.gov