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Perforation
Fistula—abnormal passageway between 2 bodily structures
Obstruction
Excess bleeding
Toxic megacolon—a potentially life-threatening condition when the colon severely expands, which may result in reduced blood flow

Other complications of UC may include:

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.

Testing may include:

Treatment

Treatment options may include:

Dietary Changes

Your doctor may recommend that you avoid certain foods, such as:

Dairy (due to lactose intolerance)
Alcohol
Red and processed meats
Refined sugar
Saturated fat

Talk to your doctor or dietitian about what foods may work best for you.

Medications

There are a range of medications that may be prescribed, such as:

Aminosalicylates
Steroid anti-inflammatory medications
Immune modifiers
Biological agents

Surgery

Surgery involves partial or complete removal of the colon. This may be necessary for:

An emergency, such as a perforation, excessive bleeding, or life-threatening infection
Long-term disease that does not respond to medications or other treatment
Colon cancer —includes confirmed diagnosis or suspicious tissue on examination
Lack of growth because of nutritional deficiencies (in children)

Surgery for UC is curative and reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Fecal Transplantation

Fecal transplantation may be used to treat UC.

Prevention

There are no current guidelines to prevent UC.

RESOURCES:

American Gastroenterological Society
http://www.gastro.org

Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
https://www.cag-acg.org

Crohn's and Colitis Canada
http://crohnsandcolitis.ca

References:

D'Haens GR, Sartor RB, Silverberg MS, Petersson J, Rutgeerts P. Future directions in inflammatory bowel disease management. 2014;8(8):726-734.

Richman S, Schub T. Ulcerative colitis. EBSCO Nursing Reference Center website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Updated August 2012. Accessed October 3, 2017.

Ulcerative colitis. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114507/Ulcerative-colitis . Updated July 28, 2017. Accessed October 3, 2017.

Wedlake L, Slack N, Andreyev HJ, Whelan K. Fiber in the treatment and maintenance of inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2014;20(3):576-586.

What is ulcerative colitis? Crohn's & Colitis Foundation website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed October 3, 2017.

8/31/2015 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance Update http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114507/Ulcerative-colitis : Moayyedi P, Surette MG, Kim PT, et al. Fecal microbiota transplantation induces remission in patients with active ulcerative colitis in a randomized controlled trial. Gastroenterology. 2015;149(1):102-109.

Last reviewed September 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Daus Mahnke, MD
Last Updated: 8/31/2015

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