OVERVIEW

The Crohn's and Colitis Center provides multidisciplinary care to patients with known or suspected Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as other less common forms of IBD, such as lymphocytic colitis, collagenous colitis and radiation enterocolitis. Experts int he medical manaagement of IBD work closely with surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital who are highly skilled in the most advance procedural techniques when such approaches are required. Because of the chronicity of these diseases, our mission is to assist patients with their ongoing physical, nutricional, educational, and psychosocial needs.

TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

The Crohn's and Colitis Center is part of Massachusetts General Hospital's long tradition of excellence. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Mass General among the top hospitals in the country and its gastroenterology services among the top five in the nation. In addition, the Crohn's and Colitis Center is a Center of Excellence, recognized for patient care, education, and research in the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

HISTORY OF INNOVATION

We have a history of innovation in IBD care. We were one of the first centers in the world to offer Remicade to treat Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Our commitment to being on the cutting edge of therapeutic advances continues today with active involvement in basic and translational research as well as a variety of promising clinical trials.

FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDE

The hospital's Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, one of only two centers in the nation funded by the National Institutes of Health to study Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, has made major advances in the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying these diseases. Our research experience facilitates the rapid acceptance and transfer of new therapies into clinical practice.

PATIENT-CENTERED CARE

Our facilities provide a comfortable environment, meeting each patient's needs. Services, including office consultation, endoscopy, infusion therapy, psychiatry, support groups, and nutritional counseling, are offered in our newly renovated space just steps from Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition, we accommodate our patients whenever possible by coordinating all necessary care in one visit. Patient education and support are important components of our mission. All our staff are committed to helping patients understand their disease, weigh their treatment options, participate in their treatment, and feel in control of their disease. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are lifelong diseases, and we treat patients of all ages, pediatric and adult. Our pediatric specialists address the special concerns of growth and physical and social development in the pediatric IBD population and assist their adolescent patients to make a smooth transition to adult GI care at the appropriate time.

CUTTING-EDGE THERAPIES

Our experts offer the full range of conventional and innovative IBD therapies - both medical and surgical. We are a resource for difficult to manage cases, and our experts are experienced in maximizing medical therapy and helping patients with refractory disease obtain relief and live normal lives.

ADVANCED SURGICAL PROCEDURES

When surgical intervention is indicated, we offer innovative surgical approaches such as laparoscopic surgery for bowel resection, enterostomy, stricturoplasty and ileoanal pouch reconstruction. We also perform procedures for complex anorectal surgical problems and fistulizing disease.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM

The Crohn's and Colitis Center brings the expertise of many specialties, including medicine, endoscopy, surgery, GI radiology, GI pathology, nursing, psychiatry, and nutrition, to focus on every patient. Together, we design personalized care plans to meet the individual needs of every patient. The entire IBD team meets weekly at the IBD Forum, providing an opportunity to discuss each patients progress and to modify treatment if indicated.

ACCESS TO CLINICAL TRIALS

Our research offices and staff are an integral part of the Center, and all patients have access to trials of new therapies. Of course, not all patients are appropriate candidates for participation in clinical trials, but those whose symptoms remain uncontrolled despite optimum medical therapy and those who are unable to tolerate the side effects of standard medication strategies have the opportunity to try potentially safer, more effective therapies. We have five to ten trials of new therapies ongoing at any time. Visit our website at www.massgeneral.org/ibd.

PRISM

We also are embarking on an important longitudinal study of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. We expect to enroll 1200 patients, including 200 healthy individuals, and follow them over a number of years (one to five) to see how they progress and how they respond to treatment. We will collect blood for serum, DNA, and protein studies, and from some patients, we will recover colon tissue during scheduled colonoscopies. We will apply genomic and proteomic approaches in hopes of identifying markers that may predict the course of a patient's disease and whether the patient will respond to certain treatments. We expect this information will lead to development of better diagnostic tests and guide the search for new therapies to benefit all patients.

CONTINUITY OF CARE

Our physicians are pleased to collaborate with referring physicians, either in an advisory capacity to discuss management strategy, or to determine if the patient may benefit from referral to our Center. We welcome open and ongoing communication with referring physicians and we are always available to respond to questions and concerns.

EASY REFERRAL

To make a referral or request a consultation with one of our specialists, please refer to the enclosed listing of staff specialists and contact any physician directly by telephone, fax, or e-mail.