Beyond the scope: a nursing view of the extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease

There are approximately 100 systemic complications of inflammatory bowel disease involving most organ systems of the body. A review of the nursing literature demonstrates a wealth of information on inflammatory bowel disease. Most of this literature, however, contains only a brief description of the extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease. It is the purpose of this manuscript to familiarize gastroenterology nurses with the major categories of extraintestinal manifestations seen in association with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. An awareness of these manifestations will allow nursing to play a role in the assessment and care of a patient who demonstrates these conditions. The focus of this paper will be on the clinical presentation and medical management of these conditions along with implications for nursing and possible nursing interventions.