- anaesthetic awareness
- birth injury
- brain haemorrhage
- cancer misdiagnosis
- cauda equina syndrome
- cerebral palsy
- cosmetic surgery
- dental negligence
- gynaecology errors
- laparoscopy surgery
- medical negligence solicitors
- neonatal conditions
- obstetric cholestasis
- surgery negligence
- gastric band surgery
- prescription errors
Ulcerative Colitis
Thousands of clinical compensation claims are initiated every year in the United Kingdom by medical negligence solicitors on behalf of people from all walks of life. A multitude of operations and procedures are executed successfully however a small percentage do go wrong, laying the grounds for medical negligence solicitors to take legal action in order to claim compensation. Both legal aid and the no win no fee scheme are available to pursue medical negligence compensation claims.
Please contact us for help pursuing your claim.
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammation of the colon, similar to Crohn's disease. Its main symptoms include crampy abdominal pain and diarrhea. It is a debilitating bowel condition that can lead to complications which are life-threatening. Unlike Crohn's disease, it only affects the colon and rectum and does not affect the small bowel, stomach or esophagus. It is not a curable illness but there are many recommended medications that make a difference in how you deal with the disease.
The major symptoms of ulcerative colitis include abdominal pain, cramping, and rectal bleeding (especially with ulcerative proctitis). Ulcerative proctitis occurs when the inflammation is in the rectal area. Rectal pain goes along with this. You can also get proctosigmoiditis, which is inflammation of the sigmoid colon and rectum, which has similar symptoms to proctitis. If the ulcerative colitis involves the left side of the colon, you can get left-sided pain and bloody diarrhea, along with weight loss. This also true of pancolitis, which is colitis involving the entire colon. Rarely, you can get fulminant colitis, a severe form of the disease which involves profuse diarrhea, severe pain, dehydration and shock. You can get serious complications from this disease.
The disease tends not to be continuous and alternates between periods of remission and periods of active disease. The severity of the disease usually remains the same with active disease states with the same person.
Causes of ulcerative colitis vary between things like immune system triggers. If a person gets a bacterial infection or viral infection, it can trigger the disease to become active. In this way, it acts like an autoimmune disease. Heredity plays a role. If you have a parent or sibling with the disease, you are more likely to get the disease yourself.
Risk factors for the disease include age. It usually affects an individual in their thirties but can affect people as late as in their 50s or 60s. It has a higher incidence in whites, especially in Jewish people. Family history puts a person at risk. The use of Accutane has been linked to ulcerative colitis. Medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications can worsen the disease.
Complications of ulcerative colitis include anemia and shock from severe bleeding, severe dehydration, perforation of the colon, disease of the liver, eye, joint and skin inflammation, osteoporosis and a greater incidence of colon cancer. One complication of fulminant disease includes toxic megacolon, a condition where the colon becomes dilated and is at risk of rupture.
There are several tests to see if you have ulcerative colitis. Blood tests can confirm infection or anemia from blood loss. Some antibody testing can confirm the diagnosis. Stool sampling can show white blood cells in the stool, indicative of an inflammation of the colon. Bowel infections can be diagnosed with a stool sample and are of a higher risk in ulcerative colitis.
A colonoscopy can show the inflammation of the colon. Colonoscopy involves the use of a lighted camera at the end of a flexible tube that can see the lining of the colon and can get a biopsy of the colon. Biopsies can more easily tell if the problem is ulcerative colitis. A flexible sigmoidoscopy involves a shorter tube that can also biopsy the lower colon. A barium enema can show the changes in the colon by means of an X-ray and barium contrast medium. CT scan with contrast in the colon might tell if there is inflammation of the colon from ulcerative colitis.
Doctors treat ulcerative colitis using medications that reduce inflammation. Treatment can lead to a remission of the disease, which might be long lasting. Anti-inflammatory drugs include Azulfidine, which lessens the symptoms but which has side effects of headache, heartburn, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Asacol is another medication that is taken rectally in order to relieve symptoms. Steroids are used in order to reduce inflammation but have a lot of side effects.
Mediations that suppress the immune system, such as Imuran and mercaptopurine make your immune system less responsive to the colon lining. It often takes several months before this type of medication takes hold and affects the colon lining. Medications that suppress the immune system can suppress the bone marrow and can cause infections and inflammation of the pancreas and liver. Another medication is cyclosporine, which suppresses the immune system. Remicade or infliximab neutralizes a protein in your immune system called tumor necrosis factor. It lessens the inflammation of the colon.