Colonic hemorrhage from a solitary minute ulcer. Report of three cases

Introduction
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...

Duodenal UlcersDuodenal ulcers are the most common form of peptic ulcer disease, presenting with chronic, intermittent epigastric pain. Pain typically appears 2–3 hours after meals, especially when the stomach is empty, often waking patients at night. It is characteristically relieved by food or antacids (“pain–food–relief”). Some patients remain asymptomatic until complications like bleeding or perforation emerge, particularly with NSAID or anticoagulant use.Gastric UlcersGastric ulcers share...

Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of chronic disorders marked by recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract due to an abnormal immune response against gut microflora. This leads to tissue damage. The two main forms are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.Crohn’s DiseaseCrohn’s disease is a relapsing inflammatory disorder that can affect any part of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus. It involves all layers of the bowel wall (transmural) and shows “skip lesions” in which...

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colon characterized by continuous mucosal inflammation that typically begins in the rectum and extends proximally in a uniform pattern. Its pathogenesis involves a complex interplay of genetic predisposition, immune dysregulation, and environmental influences. These factors converge to impair the colon’s epithelial defenses and promote an exaggerated inflammatory response against luminal contents.Breakdown of the Mucosal BarrierA...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses two major chronic disorders—ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease—each characterized by relapsing episodes of gastrointestinal inflammation. Although they share certain clinical features, their patterns of involvement and manifestations differ in ways that aid diagnosis and guide management.Ulcerative ColitisUlcerative colitis is limited to the colon and rectum and involves continuous inflammation of the mucosal layer. The disease course is marked...

Diverticular disease involves the formation of diverticula—small sac-like outpouchings of the colonic wall—and their complications. It most commonly affects the sigmoid colon due to higher intraluminal pressure and structural vulnerability. It results from structural weakness and increased pressure in the colon, producing pseudodiverticula that may remain silent or progress to inflammation and serious complications.Structure of DiverticulaIn diverticulosis, these outpouchings are...