Crohn’s & Colitis Glossary

Test

Biopsy

A small piece of tissue provided to a pathologist to help diagnose and classify disease.

Medication

Biosimilar therapies

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

Complication / Symptom

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.

Surgeon

Bowel resection

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

Test

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.

Complication / Symptom

Chronic

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

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Claim

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

Complication / Symptom

Clinical remission

Absence of symptoms. The patient feels well.

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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.

Surgeon

Colectomy

The surgical removal of the colon.