Crohn’s & Colitis Glossary

Biosimilar therapies

Medications that are designed to be near-identical copies of FDA-approved biologic therapies.

Blockage

A partial or complete obstruction or closing off of the small or large intestine that keeps food, liquid, gas, and stool from moving through the intestines in a normal way.

Bowel resection

A surgical procedure to remove a portion of your small or large intestine, that has been damaged by Crohn’s disease.

C-reactive protein (CRP)

A blood test that measures inflammation in the body but doesn’t tell us whether the inflammation is linked to IBD or might be caused by something else, like a bacterial infection.

Chronic

A medical condition that lasts longer than a year, requires ongoing medical attention, and may limit your day-to-day activities.

Claim

A request for payment submitted to your health insurance plan for services you received.

Clinical remission

Absence of symptoms. The patient feels well.

Coinsurance

Your share of the costs of certain medical care or medications, calculated as a percentage of the total cost. For example, if the health insurance planallowed amount for an office visit is $100 and you've met your deductible, your coinsurance payment of 20 percent would be $20. The health plan pays the rest of the cost.

Colectomy

The surgical removal of the colon.

Colon

The large bowel or large intestine.