Crohn's & Colitis Care

Inflammatory bowel disease can be challenging to manage, with symptoms mirroring other GI problems and flaring up without warning. That’s why you need a cohesive, experienced team of experts who are trained in IBD management. Our team understands what you’re going through and we offer the latest medications, nutrition strategies, emotional support, and minimally invasive procedures so you can heal and feel like yourself again.

Our Approach to Crohn's & Colitis Care

At Virtua, we’re focused on providing expert treatment for Crohn’s disease and colitis so you can get back to enjoying your life with confidence.

With therapies tailored to meet your lifestyle and a multidisciplinary team experienced in managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we provide medical and emotional support —all in one location, the Virtua Crohn’s & Colitis Center in Moorestown. Our aim is to help you achieve long-term remission.

The Virtua Crohn’s & Colitis care team includes:

• A gastroenterologist fellowship trained in IBD management offering the latest medical treatment options
• Experienced colorectal surgeons performing advanced, minimally invasive procedures
• A registered dietitian providing personalized nutrition plans
• A clinical nurse navigator, scheduling specialist, and medical assistant coordinating care and connecting you to support services
• Insurance verification staff helping you navigate medical coverage

Conditions We Treat

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term that describes long-term, or chronic, inflammation of tissues in your digestive tract.

IBD is an autoimmune disorder, meaning the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue. It is not always clear what triggers flare-ups of IBD, or why some people develop the condition and not others.

Types of IBD include:

• Crohn’s disease: Can occur anywhere in the digestive tract and can spread deep into the layers of affected tissues
• Ulcerative colitis: Inflammation and sores along the lining of your colon (large intestine) and rectum
• Microscopic colitis: Inflammatory condition of the large intestine, often causing watery diarrhea. There are two types of microscopic colitis: collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis

IBD Tests and Treatments

If you have persistent episodes of diarrhea, loss of bowel control (especially at night), bloody stools, nausea, vomiting, or unexplained weight loss, you may have inflammatory bowel disease.

IBD Tests

The Virtua Crohn’s & Colitis Center offers advanced tests to diagnose your condition, including:

• Blood work and stool tests
• Colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy to see inside your colon
• Upper endoscopy to examine the inside of your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine
• Capsule endoscopy, swallowing a capsule with a camera inside to record your digestive tract
• Imaging procedures, including X-rays, CT scans, MRI, and intestinal ultrasound

IBD Treatments

Our goal is to promote bowel healing and decrease the risk of cancer and other complications. Therapies are tailored to meet your lifestyle and personal preferences. Treatments for IBD include:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Antibiotics
• Immunomodulators
• Biologic therapies
• Small molecules
• Anti-diarrheal medications

Medications may be taken intravenously, as an injection, or by pill.

If medical therapies do not relieve your IBD symptoms, your team may recommend surgery. Virtua’s dedicated team of colorectal surgeons use minimally invasive and robotic-assisted approaches whenever possible to lessen postoperative pain and reduce recovery time. Types of surgery for IBD include:

• Resection and anastomosis, removing the damaged portions of the digestive tract and then reconnecting the healthy sections
• Proctocolectomy, removing the entire colon and rectum