|
Medical Definition of Distal ileitis
1. A subacute chronic enteritis, of unknown cause, involving the terminal ileum and less frequently other parts of the gastrointestinal tract; characterised by patchy deep ulcers that may cause fistulas, and narrowing and thickening of the bowel by fibrosis and lymphocytic infiltration, with noncaseating tuberculoid granulomas that also may be found in regional lymph nodes; symptoms include fever, diarrhoea, cramping abdominal pain, and weight loss. Synonym: chronic cicatrizing enteritis, Crohn's disease, distal ileitis, regional ileitis, terminal ileitis, granulomatous enteritis. (05 Mar 2000)