Division of Gastroenterology
Our Division of Gastroenterology offers exceptional patient care, research programs, and education and training opportunities.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Care
Personalized care for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
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Your Home for IBD Care
Living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be a challenge. That’s why Lahey Clinic has a dedicated Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center. Our experts provide personalized care for IBD and help you find most effective ways to manage your condition.
What is IBD?
IBD refers to diseases that cause chronic inflammation of your digestive tract. There may be times when your disease is active, and times when symptoms subside. Exactly what causes IBD is unknown. But it occurs when your body mistakenly attacks healthy cells.
The main types of IBD include:
- Crohn’s disease, which may affect any part of your digestive tract, from your mouth to your anus. Damage can extend into the deep layers of your bowel walls and may appear in patches. There can be areas of healthy tissue in between inflamed areas.
- Ulcerative colitis (UC), which is the most common type of IBD. It affects only the inner layers of your colon and rectum and the damaged area is continuous. There are no gaps.
IBD Symptoms
IBD and inflammation go together. But other symptoms of Crohn’s disease and UC can include:
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Weight loss
These symptoms can range from mild to severe. Where symptoms occur and their extent are what set Crohn’s disease and UC apart.
Diagnosing IBD
The IBD Center at Lahey offers all types of tests for diagnosing IBD, from blood and stool tests to the latest endoscopic and imaging tests. For your convenience, they’re available in a single location.
Endoscopic Tests
Onsite tests involving endoscopy:
- Biopsy
- Colonoscopy
- Colonoscopy with chromoendoscopy and endoscopic resection of precancerous (dysplastic) polyps
- Pouchoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Stricture dilation
- Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy
- Upper gastrointestinal series
- Video capsule endoscopy
Imaging Tests
Imaging tests can help pinpoint the location and extent of IBD. They may also show how well you respond to treatment. Our onsite imaging test sinclude CT scan, MRI and X-ray.
Treating IBD
Once we understand the severity of your disease, we work with you to find the best treatments. With today’s therapies, you can often see dramatic improvement in your condition. We address body and mind to help you achieve optimal health.
Our IBD doctors have extensive experience with a wide array of medical treatments. They may offer you:
- Medications: These include anti-inflammatory medicines and biologics, which lower inflammation by suppressing your immune system. Lahey was among the first facilities in the U.S. to use biologics, so we know how to help you get the best results from these medications. You might also benefit from pain relievers, antibiotics and anti-diarrheal medicines. In some cases, we recommend supplements, such as iron, calcium and vitamin D, as well.
- Personalized medicine combinations.
- Advice on balancing medication risks and benefits and careful monitoring.
- Nutritional support and dietary guidance: Nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists and others work together to help you get the nutrition you need to stay as healthy as possible. This may include providing advice about a low-residue diet to avoid blockages. Or, we may suggest a special IBD diet that you receive through a feeding to give your bowels time to rest. We can also inject nutrients into a vein.
More About IBD Care
Multidisciplinary IBD Care Team
There are many experienced specialists who will be part of your IBD care team. Among them are:
- Gastroenterologists
- Nurse practitioners
- Nurses
- Pathologists
- Pharmacists
- Psychologists
- Radiologists
- Surgeons
At Lahey, they’re all in one place so you won’t have to travel to see multiple specialists. You can rely on our team to:
- Coordinate all of your appointments.
- Create your entire treatment plan.
- Explain family planning options.
- Help you manage stress.
- Make a personalized diet plan with a dietitian.
- Provide additional support such as counseling or therapy.
- Provide education about IBD.
- Provide vaccinations.
- Teach you how to take your medications.
- Work with your insurance provider to get authorizations.
Surgical Treatments
If your quality of life isn’t what you’d like, even with medications, we may consider surgery. Surgery for IBD often involves removing the damaged portion of your digestive tract. In some cases, you can undergo minimally invasive techniques.
Your IBD team will determine the appropriate procedure for your specific condition and symptoms. Our onsite surgery options include:
- Complex reoperative abdominal surgery
- J-pouch revisions and excisions
- Laparoscopic ileocolic resection
- Laparoscopic proctocolectomy with construction of ileoanal J pouch
- Parastomal hernia repairs
- Robotic assisted bowel resections for IBD
- Sacral nerve stimulation for fecal incontinence in IBD patients
- Sphincter preserving procedures for anal fistulae
- Stem cell treatment for anal fistula
- Surgery for IBD-related enterocutaneous fistulas
Support Services
Inflammatory bowel disease is a lifelong condition. You’ll have us by your side every step of the way, with support such as:
- Counseling and therapy: Living with IBD can be exhausting. It’s easy to start feeling down. With psychological support, our counselors help you find ways to stay positive and optimistic. An improved outlook can reduce your pain level, help you feel less tired and make you more likely to take your medication as directed. Mindfulness training can be especially helpful.
- Nursing support for stoma care: One type of surgery for IBD involves diverting the large intestine to an opening surgeons create in your abdomen. This is called a colostomy. It can be temporary or permanent. The new intestinal opening is called a stoma, and it requires specific care. Our stoma care nurses help you manage your stoma after surgery. They coach you on caring for your stoma and help you get the right supplies. If you develop problems with your stoma, our nurses can spot them early and get you the help you need to heal.
- Support Groups: Talking to people who have similar experiences to you can be beneficial as you deal with IBD. We can help you find a support group that meets your needs and preferences.
Research Advances
Today, there are many new treatments and management techniques that can help you live well with IBD. This means fewer people are hospitalized than in the past and far more lead fulfilling lives, thanks to more effective medications developed through clinical trials.
Because Lahey is an academic medical center, we participate in research and clinical trials that test new IBD therapies. As our patient, you may choose to take part in these trials. They offer treatments you can't find anywhere else in the region.
