Oral Crohn's disease with late intestinal manifestations

Oral Crohn's disease has been reported frequently in the last two decades with and without intestinal manifestations. In the latter case it is considered one of the orofacial granulomatoses. This reference is claimed to eliminate the patient's distress caused by the term Crohn's disease. There has been much doubt whether intestinal Crohn's disease will eventually develop in these patients. A case is reported in a 10-year-old West Indian girl in whom oral Crohn's disease developed at the age of 10 years and was followed by rectal Crohn's disease 9 years later. In this article the term Crohn's disease is used to describe those patients with intestinal manifestations with or without oral disease whereas oral Crohn's disease is used for those who have only oral manifestations.