Prognosis
Acute inflammation of the colon usually progresses quickly and without complications. Patients with Crohn’s disease have a high recurrence rate (frequently recurring symptoms after symptom-free phases) and a 70% probability of needing surgery within 15 years due to complications.A definitive cure through surgery is not possible in Crohn’s disease. However, the situation is different in ulcerative colitis, which can be definitely cured by surgical removal of the entire colon.
If the disease is long-standing and extensive, the risk of developing colon carcinoma increases significantly. The prognosis of an ischemic colon inflammation depends crucially on early detection and initiation of therapy. In the early stage of this life-threatening disease, there is still a 95% chance of survival, but if, for example, 24 hours elapse before intervention, the chance of survival drops below 15%.
