[Ileal Crohn's Disease as a Form of Presentation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Pediatrics]

Pediatric Crohn's disease localized exclusively to the ileum is a rare condition in our setting. Due to its overlapping clinical presentation, a high index of suspicion is required, and differential diagnoses must be considered with respect to infectious, infiltrative, and other less frequent conditions. We present the case of an 11-year-old patient with a history of anemia, pain in the right iliac fossa, weight loss, and fever. Imaging studies revealed thickening of the terminal ileum and intestinal stenosis near the ileocecal valve, with prestenotic dilation. Video colonoscopy showed that the colonic mucosa was normal and revealed cicatricial stenosis of the ileocecal valve. The pathological anatomy was inconclusive, reporting moderate nonspecific colitis. Due to symptoms of subintestinal obstruction, a laparoscopic resection of the distal ileum, appendix, ileocecal valve, and cecum was performed, with creation of a double-barrel ostomy. Histology of the surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of Crohn's disease.