Atypical case of Crohn's colitis in a patient with adult-onset Still's disease

Abstract

A 65-year-old woman with a background of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) presented acutely to a general surgical unit with signs of bowel obstruction and sepsis. A CT scan was indicative of a mesenteric lymphadenopathy suspicious of malignancy. At the time of the surgery, a clinical diagnosis of lymphoma was made given the large number of lymph nodes; however, histological diagnosis was resulted as Crohn's colitis. There is only one other case of AOSD and Crohn's disease in the literature, and there is no clear pathological connection between the two inflammatory conditions. This case highlights the surgical management of an unusual presentation.