Each attack scars the inside wall and adds a layer of scar tissue to it. This thickening of the wall also may clog the ileum. In a healthy person, the wall of the ileum absorbs food. But in many patients with Crohn's disease, the swelling and scarring of the wall prevents this absorption of food. Large numbers of such patients lose weight and could eventually starve.
Physicians treat Crohn's disease with drugs that reduce inflammation.
They use special diets, food supplements, and intravenous feedings to prevent starvation. In extreme cases, surgery may have to be performed. However, Crohn's disease recurs in more than half the patients who undergo surgery. How to cite this article.