Inflammatory Bowel Disease

New Faecal Calprotectin Service at the L&D

This week we finally opened our new faecal calprotectin service. Presently we are calibrating our system with samples donated from volunteers, but shortly we will be able to offer this routinely to our catchment patients. Faecal calprotectin is a neutophil degradation product which can be used as a non-invasive marker of inflammation. My own published research demonstrated a direct correlation…

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Crohn’s Stricture Dilatation

GUT 2010; 59: 320-324 P. Rutgeerts’ Leuven group have just released their outcome data from performing 237 stricture dilatations in 138 Crohn’s patients. This is the largest series to-date with the longest follow-up (5.8 years) Immediate success was seen in 97%, with 46% requiring a repeat dilatation after a mean time of 12.5 months. In the long term surgery was…

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IBD + Immunisations

Following the new ECCO (European Crohn’s and Colitis Guidelines) we are due to be asking all IBD patients to under go immunisation screening and regular vaccinations. A formalised protocol is being drawn up and will be place on this web site and put into practice once we have the GPs and PCTs agreement.

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