Inflammatory Bowel Disease Specialist

Sonoran Surgical Our Services Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Sonoran Surgical - - Colorectal Surgeon

Sonoran Surgical

General Surgeon & Colorectal Surgeons in Chandler, AZ, San Tan Valley, AZ, Mesa, AZ & Gilbert AZ

The abdominal pain and diarrhea caused by inflammatory bowel disease often prevent patients from enjoying their daily life. Aalok Sahai, MD, provides expert care for inflammatory bowel disease, from procedures needed to diagnose the problem like a colonoscopy to medical treatment and minimally invasive surgery using the robot-assisted da Vinci® Surgical System. If you suffer from the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, call Sonoran Surgical in Chandler, and San Tan Valley, Arizona, or book an appointment online.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Q & A

What is inflammatory bowel disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a generic name for two diseases:

  • Ulcerative colitis: Caused by chronic inflammation and ulcers in the rectum and large intestine
  • Crohn’s disease: Caused by chronic inflammation anywhere in your gastrointestinal tract but most often in the small intestine

Ulcerative colitis causes large areas of inflammation in the intestinal lining, while Crohn’s disease leads to patches of inflammation that penetrate deep into the intestinal wall.

What symptoms develop due to inflammatory bowel disease?

Though the inflammation is chronic, your symptoms are intermittent, as they occasionally go into remission, then flare up again.

The most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are:

  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Weight loss
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Loss of appetite

Up to 47% of patients with IBD develop problems in another part of their body. These symptoms, called extraintestinal manifestations of IBD, most often cause joint pain, skin rashes, and eye inflammation, but the inflammation can affect many organs and tissues.

How is inflammatory bowel disease diagnosed and treated?

In addition to a physical exam, blood work, and diagnostic imaging such as a CT scan or MRI exam, Dr. Sahai may perform a colonoscopy or an endoscopy to examine the lining of your digestive tract.

When the underlying cause of your symptoms is determined to be inflammatory bowel disease, treatment typically consists of:

Dietary changes

Changing your diet to avoid some foods and beverages and eating smaller meals can reduce the symptoms of Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

Medications

Your doctor may prescribe one of several possible medications to relieve your symptoms, including antibiotics, immunosuppressants, and anti-inflammatory or anti-diarrheal medications.

Surgery

Surgery to remove your colon and rectum can cure ulcerative colitis. If you have Crohn’s disease, surgery to remove the damaged part of the intestine treats the problem, but the effect is often temporary. In most cases, Crohn’s disease recurs near the same site.

Dr. Sahai may perform minimally invasive IBD surgery using the advanced da Vinci® Surgical System. The da Vinci is a robot-assisted system that’s controlled by Dr. Sahai, yet it enhances the doctor's skill as its small size makes it easier to reach tight areas inside your body. Additionally, the robotic arms have a range of motion that exceeds human hands.

If you have chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain, call Sonoran Surgical or book an appointment online.