CUTANEOUS CROHN'S DISEASE WITH ISOLATED COLONIC INVOLVEMENT DIAGNOSED IN THE EARLY PHASE ON SKIN BIOPSY

Abstract

A 28 year-old female complained of fever, arthralgia, diarrhea, and painful erythema nodosum on the lower legs. Although an atypical shallow, longitudinal ulcer was found on colonoscopy, the histological findings did not suggest Crohn's disease. Nevertheless, on skin biopsy, multinucleated giant-cell granulomas were noted in the subcutaneous tissue. Therefore, Crohn's disease with isolated colonic involvement and extra-intestinal cutaneous manifestations was diagnosed. A skin biopsy should be done in the early phase if Crohn's disease with skin lesions is suspected, since it is useful for making the diagnosis.