TRACI HEDRICK: Inflammatory bowel disease refers to two conditions, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease, both of which affect various locations within the GI tract. Ulcerative Colitis is specific to the colon. The treatment for Ulcerative Colitis involves removing the entire colon and the rectum and that used to mean a permanent ostomy for patients. We have a procedure called J Pouch, where we can recreate the reservoir for the rectum, thereby preventing patients from having a permanent ostomy. 

Crohn's disease can affect patients anywhere from their mouth to the rectum. So it can affect various parts of the digestive system. Most commonly it affects the small intestine and the large intestine. The main treatment is to remove that section that is abnormal and hopefully it's a point where we could remove it and just remove that segment, put the intestines back together. We have a very strong multidisciplinary team for inflammatory bowel disease. We have a very strong connection between the surgeons and the medical gastroenterologists. 

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