Episodic, severe abdominal pain due to isolated jejunal Crohn's disease

Clin J Gastroenterol. 2021 Aug;14(4):1084-1089. doi: 10.1007/s12328-021-01421-7. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

Abstract

Small bowel Crohn's disease can present with episodic, relapsing, and remitting symptoms and delays in the diagnosis are common. We present a case of a young woman with three years of intermittent abdominal pain and nausea with negative previous evaluations. On presentation, inflammatory markers were elevated, and repeat imaging showed jejunal inflammation, with histopathological examination showing non-caseating granulomas of the small bowel consistent with Crohn's disease. This case highlights the importance of gastroenterologist recognizing the alarm signs in a patient with unexplained symptoms and adds to the literature on the clinical presentation of a rare diagnosis of isolated jejunal Crohn's disease.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; Enteroscopy; Inflammatory bowel disease; Jejunal Crohn’s; Small bowel Crohn’s.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / etiology
  • Crohn Disease* / complications
  • Crohn Disease* / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intestine, Small
  • Jejunal Diseases* / diagnostic imaging
  • Jejunal Diseases* / etiology
  • Jejunum