Published online Apr 28, 2016. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i16.4073
Peer-review started: February 9, 2016
First decision: March 7, 2016
Revised: March 11, 2016
Accepted: March 30, 2016
Article in press: March 30, 2016
Published online: April 28, 2016
Processing time: 76 Days and 10.3 Hours
Severe gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage is a rare complication of Crohn’s disease (CD). Although several surgical and non-surgical approaches have been described over the last 2 decades this complication still poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Given the relative infrequency of severe bleeding in CD, available medical literature on this topic is mostly in the form of retrospective case series and reports. In this article we review the risk factors, diagnostic modalities and treatment options for the management of CD presenting as GI hemorrhage.
Core tip: Severe gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage is a rare complication of Crohn’s disease (CD). With the relative infrequency of severe bleeding in CD, available medical literature on this topic is mostly in the form of retrospective case series and reports. In this article we reviewed the available medical literature and summarized the risk factors, diagnostic modalities and treatment options for the management of CD presenting as GI hemorrhage.