The cause is unknown and there is no proven effective medical therapy. Severe narrowing of the bile ducts can be treated with balloon dilation, a method of passing a balloon-tipped tube through the duct to enlarge it. There are a number of treatments for the complications of this incurable disorder. It is more likely to occur in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn's disease. Though the cause is undetermined, it may be due to a previous hepatitis C infection related to blood transfusions.
Amyloidosis is a chronic disease that causes an abnormal protein to accumulate in body tissues.
Rarely, it may occur in patients with severe Crohn's disease. Though it develops more commonly in the kidneys, it also can affect the liver. There is no cure for this disorder, though some experimental medications are being tested.