Tag : CROHN’S DISEASE

Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with rising incidence and prevalence worldwide, characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and weight loss.

In 2016, a young woman in her 20s complained of sudden abdominal pain in the morning which then deteriorated rapidly, and was subsequently admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH). The patient was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease (CD). During her ICU stay, the patient underwent 2 major surgical procedures and received massive blood transfusion due to her severe intestinal bleeding. The patient had been staying in the ICU for 3 months and was discharged from PWH only about 3 years later. This case reminds us of the considerable suffering of the CD patients and the immense challenges of overall disease management. Considering its rising prevalence in Hong Kong, CD is set to increase the medical needs of patients and the disease burden of the society. In an interview with Omnihealth Practice, Dr. Lam, Long-Yan Kelvin talked about the latest advances in CD management and the ongoing difficulties in local clinical practice.