Ileal ulcer in asymptomatic individuals. is this Crohn?

Abstract

The endoscopic finding of ileal ulcers, alone or in small number, is not usual, but when it occurs in asymptomatic patients, an impasse may be generated regarding the action to be taken, since the medical literature is unclear as to how to proceed in this situation. Objective: Evaluate patients with ileal ulcers, single or in a small number, asymptomatic, and their follow-up. Methods: The author reports a series of asymptomatic cases (23 patients) of ulcers - single or in small number - found in colonoscopy exams performed for other reasons than typical clinical manifestations of Crohn's disease. Results: Most patients were not treated and remained asymptomatic during the follow-up period. Conclusions: The patients remained asymptomatic and without treatment in most cases, and, considering the small number of cases and the short observation time, this study does not allow to conclude that this is the best practice in case of asymptomatic patients with ileal ulcer.