Emergencies in inflammatory bowel disease.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the principal IBDs, are characterized most often by a chronic relapsing course. Despite the protracted nature of these disorders they can present in an acute manner as gastrointestinal emergencies. The urgent manifestations include both intestinal and extraintestinal disease. Extraintestinal emergencies can be ocular, rheumatologic, hematologic, and urologic. Intestinal emergencies often are more severe and can be life-threatening. These may include obstruction, abscesses, perforation, and hemorrhage. The successful management of such complications depends on early diagnosis and the judicious and timely use of both medical and surgical therapies.