Thank you Dr. Cabrera for an excellent presentation on a new diagnosis of Ulcerate Colitis in a young patient with bloody diarrhea.

Key Learning Points:

• Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disorder involving the mucosal layer of the colon.
• Diagnosis is through clinical evaluation and supported by tissue biopsy with prompt GI evaluation.
• Acute management is supportive, once IBD is confirmed, in-hospital treatment is determined by disease severity.
• Continue to evaluate for acute complications (fulminant colitis, toxic megacolon, perforation, VTE) and extra-intestinal manifestations (erythema nodosum, pyoderman gangrenosum, aphtous stomatitis, PSC, uveitis).

High Yield: In IBD patients, consensus guidelines recommend screening colonoscopy starting 8-10 years after diagnosis and surveillance colonoscopy is recommended every 1-2  years thereafter. This generally applies to patients with UC extending past the rectum or Crohn's disease involving at least 1/3rd of the colon.