Our Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Digestive Disease Institute specializes in the diagnosis of bowel disorders to help our patients manage their conditions and improve their quality of life.
Patients with IBD receive care from a multidisciplinary team of physicians and specialists who are experts in a wide range of treatment therapies. Treatment options range from nutritional support and medication to minimally invasive surgery. Our multidisciplinary team of experts collaborates to create tailored treatment plans based on thorough diagnosis, and the severity of the condition.
IBD is a group of disorders that cause acute and chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the most commonly diagnosed. Proper diagnosis and assessment of these conditions are critical to providing the right treatment, successfully managing these conditions, and helping patients improve their quality of life.
There are many approaches to treating and managing IBD conditions, some of which include:
Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Accurate and thorough diagnosis is essential to being able to provide the best care for IBD, and it can be difficult to diagnose correctly. Some conditions may symptomatically appear as if they were inflammatory bowel disease; ulcerative colitis can be mistaken for Crohn’s disease, and vice versa. Our skilled team of experts specializes in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease based on symptoms, clinical examination, and evaluation of test results.
Our IBD Program offers a variety of specialized diagnostic tests, including:
During these procedures, tissue samples can be obtained and analyzed in the lab for accurate diagnosis.
Capsule endoscopy: A test that involves swallowing a pill-shaped wireless camera. The camera takes pictures of the inside of the entire digestive tract and can help see areas of the bowel that are not visibly accessible through a regular endoscopy.
Magnetic Resonance Enterography (MRE): A non-invasive imaging test that takes pictures of the digestive tract, allowing physicians to identify abnormalities in the bowel.
X-ray: An imaging test that produces images of various parts of the body, such as the intestines.
Contrast x-ray: An imaging test that uses a special contrast dye to produce more detailed images of the body.
CT scan: An imaging test that produces images of the organs and can detect complications of inflammatory bowel disease, such as intestinal blockages.
Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Treatment of our patients with inflammatory bowel disease involves several teams of caregivers working together to provide the comprehensive care for these often complex diseases.
Our gastroenterology team primarily performs the diagnostic tests required to diagnose, treat, and follow patients with Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.
Medications are the main treatment option for these patients, and surgery is reserved for patients who are not responding well to medications, or who have certain other complications related to their disease.
Patients with IBD are carefully prepared medically, and nutritionally, as well as emotionally, before any surgical intervention.
Our colorectal surgery team offers specialized surgical procedures such as pouch reconstructions for certain eligible patients.
Our Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program brings together a diverse team of healthcare experts including:
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