Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

To make an appointment, call 314-747-2066, option 1.
Fax: 314-747-5871
Online: Contact through MyChart. MyChart offers quick and convenient communication with the IBD team.

WashU Medicine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specialists provide clinical care for chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. Our goal is to improve quality-of-life for IBD patients through exceptional care and transformative research. Our comprehensive IBD center provides world-class medical and surgical services and access to novel therapies in clinical research trials.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects men and women almost equally. It can occur at any age, but most often affects young adults (ages 16-26). WashU Medicine IBD specialists care for more than 3,000 patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. The two most common forms of IBD are:

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It commonly affects the small intestines and colon, but may occur anywhere in the GI tract. Symptoms depend on the location of the diseased bowel, but abdominal pain, fatigue and weight loss are common. Sometimes diarrhea, fever, rectal bleeding or disease around the anal canal may occur.

Ulcerative colitis is characterized by inflammation of the large intestine or colon. The lining of the colon becomes red and swollen, sometimes ulcerated. This causes diarrhea and bleeding from the rectum. The inflammation is chronic, which means that it is always present, although the symptoms may come and go. Symptoms flare when the colon is severely inflamed. Weight loss and fatigue are also common.

For more information visit the Crohn’s & Colitis foundation website.

We also treat patients with:

Collagenous colitis
Lymphocytic colitis
Microscopic colitis
Autoimmune enteropathy
Infectious colitis
Short bowel syndrome
Women and IBD

Multidisciplinary care

Because of the complexity of the disease, patients with IBD often require care from multiple providers. Patients in this program can coordinate care and office visits between specialists seamlessly. In addition to specialized gastroenterologists and GI surgeons, WashU Medicine also has a GI-trained health psychologist and an IBD dietician who can discuss your specific nutrition needs. Other resources include abdominal imaging with radiologists specializing in Inflammatory bowel disease, endoscopy, consult services in pathology, and dermatology. In addition to your IBD physician, your care team consists of nurse practitioners, nurses, a therapy coordinator, and a medical secretary. Depending on your needs, you may interact with different members of the team.

Dr. Huff and dietician Kristin Cunningham discussing nutrition supplements.

Appointments

Patients are seen at in the Central West End, West County and South County. To make an appointment, call 314-747-2066.

Preparing for your visit

Before your office visit, your referring physician will need to fax your records to 888-869-4437, including:

Progress notes
Colonoscopy and/or endoscopy reports
Pathology
Radiology reports
Any IBD-specific lab values (i.e. prometheus thiopurine metabolites, TPMT/IBD panels)

If you are self-referring, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that you sign and send a medical record release (pdf) to your previous physician so we may obtain your medical records. After review of your records, additional imaging and/or laboratory testing may be ordered.

Before you come to the IBD Center, please print and complete the new patient questionnaire (pdf), and bring it to your appointment. If you are unable to bring the completed form with you, copies are available at the front desk prior to seeing the physician.

What to expect at your visit

At your first visit, our team of specialists will complete a full evaluation to determine the best course of treatment.

Please arrive 20 minutes before your appointment to allow time to complete check-in, including getting vitals and placing you in an exam room.

Late Policy
If you are late by 15 minutes or more for your appointment, you may be rescheduled.

Resources

Nutrition

We have an IBD dietician who can discuss your specific nutrition needs.
View all of our IBD nutrition resources.

Living with IBD

Can I live a normal life with IBD?
Those with IBD considering pregnancy can learn more from the IBD Parenthood Project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find out more about IBD. Read the article.
What is Crohn’s Disease?
What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Connect with the Community

Explore the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation website
Visit the United Ostomy Associations of America website

Smoking Cessation

Smoking can worsen your disease, make therapies less effective and increase your risk of multiple cancers. Here are some resources to help you quit.

For more information, visit the IBD Center website.