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Terminal ileitis: Crohn's disease, achronic inflammatory disease of the intestine involving only the end of the smallintestine (the terminal ileum). Crohn's disease affects primarily the small and large intestines but which can occur anywhere in the digestive system between the mouth and theanus. Named after Burrill Crohn who described the disease in 1932. The disease oftenstrikes persons in their teens or early twenties. It tends to be chronic, recurrent withperiods of remission and exacerbation. In the early stages, It causes small scatteredshallow crater-like areas (erosions) called aphthous ulcers in the inner surface of thebowel. With time, deeper and larger ulcers develop, causing scarring and stiffness of thebowel and the bowel becomes increasingly narrowed, leading to obstruction. Deep ulcers canpuncture holes in the bowel wall, leading to infection in the abdominal cavity( peritonitis) and in adjacent organs Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weightloss can be symptoms. Crohn's disease can be associated with reddish tender skinnodules, and inflammation of the joints, spine, eyes, and liver. Diagnosis is by bariumenema, barium x-ray of the small bowel, and colonoscopy. Treatment includes medicationsfor inflammation, immune suppression, antibiotics, or surgery.