1b// General Surgery in the GI tract Flashcards
What is SOCRATES?
site
onset
character
radiation
association
time course
exacerbating/ relieving symptoms
severity
What is an acute abdomen?
An acute abdomen is a condition that demands urgent attention and treatment. The acute abdomen may be caused by an infection, inflammation, vascular occlusion, or obstruction. The patient will usually present with sudden onset of abdominal pain with associated nausea or vomiting.
What is the general approach to an acute abdomen?
PC (primary care)=> pain assessment (SOCRATES), associated symptoms
PMHx, DHx, SHx=> past medical Hx, drug Hx, social Hx
Range of investigations
Management
What investigations would you do for an acute abdomen?
Bloods: VBG, FBC, CRP, U&Es (renal profile), LFTs + amylase
Urinalysis + Urine MC&S
Imaging: Erect CXR, AXR, CTAP, CT angiogram, USS
Endoscopy
*depending on presentation
What type of management would you provide for acute abdomen?
ABCDE approach
conservative management
surgical management
What are differential diagnoses for RUQ?
Biliary Colic
Cholecystitis/Cholangitis
Duodenal Ulcer
Liver abscess
Portal vein thrombosis
Acute hepatitis
Nephrolithiasis
RLL pneumonia
What are differential diagnoses for epigastrium?
Acute gastritis/GORD
Gastroparesis
Peptic ulcer disease/perforation
Acute pancreatitis
Mesenteric ischaemia
AAA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm) Aortic dissection
Myocardial infarction
What are the differential diagnoses for LUQ?
Peptic ulcer
Acute pancreatitis
Splenic abscess
Splenic infarction
Nephrolithiasis
LLL Pneumonia
What are the differential diagnoses for RLQ?
Acute Appendicitis
Colitis
IBD
Infectious colitis
Ureteric stone/Pyelonephritis PID/Ovarian torsion
Ectopic pregnancy
Malignancy
What are the differential diagnoses for suprapubic/ central?
Early appendicitis
Mesenteric ischaemia
Bowel obstruction
Bowel perforation
Constipation
Gastroenteritis
UTI/Urinary retention
PID
What are the differential diagnoses for LLQ?
Diverticulitis
Colitis
IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) Infectious colitis
Ureteric stone/Pyelonephritis PID/Ovarian torsion
Ectopic pregnancy
Malignancy
What is the presentation of bowel ischaemia?
Sudden onset crampy abdominal pain
Severity of pain depends on the length and thickness of colon affected
Bloody, loose stool (currant jelly stools)
Fever, signs of septic shock
What are the risk factors for bowel ischaemia? (6)
Age >65 yr
Cardiac arrhythmias (mainly AF), atherosclerosis
Hypercoagulation/ thrombophilia
Vasculitis
Sickle cell disease
Profound shock causing hypotension
Describe acute mesenteric ischaemia?
Small bowel
Usually occlusive due to thromboemboli
Sudden onset (but presentation and severity varies)
Abdominal pain out of proportion of clinical signs
Describe ischaemia colitis?
Large bowel
Usually due to non-occlusive low flow states, or atherosclerosis
More mild and gradual (80-85% of the cases)
Moderate pain and tenderness
What investigations would you do for bowel ischaemia?
Bloods
Imaging- CTAP/ Angiogram
Endoscopy
What are you looking out for in bloods for bowel ischaemia?
FBC: neutrophil leukocytosis
VBG (venous blood gas): lactic acidosis
What would you detect in the imaging for bowel ischaemia?
disrupted flow
vascular stenosis
pneumatosis intestinalis
thumbprint sign
What would you notice in endoscopies for ischaemic colitis?
for mild or moderate cases of ischaemic colitis (oedema, cyanosis, ulceration of mucosa)
What is the conservative management for bowel ischaemia?
Mild to moderate cases of ischaemic colitis (not suitable for small bowel ischaemia)
- IV fluid resuscitation
- Bowel rest
- Broad-spectrum ABx - colonic ischaemia can result in bacterial translocation & sepsis
- Nasogastric tube for decompression - in concurrent ileus
- Anticoagulation
- Treat/manage underlying cause
** Serial abdominal examination and repeat imaging
What are the indications of necessary surgery for bowel ischaemia?
Small bowel ischaemia
Signs of peritonitis or sepsis
Haemodynamic instability
Massive bleeding
Fulminant colitis with toxic megacolon
What are the surgeries you could do for bowel ischaemia?
exploratory laparotomy
endovascular revascularisation
What is exploratory laparotomy?
Resection of necrotic bowel +/- open surgical embolectomy or mesenteric arterial bypass
What is an embolectomy?
also sometimes called thrombectomy — is the removal of a blood clot (thrombus) that’s keeping blood from flowing through a blood vessel normally
What is endovascular revascularisation and when would you do it?
balloon angioplasty/ thrombectomy
in patients without signs of ischaemia
How does acute appendicitis present?
Initially periumbilical pain that migrates to RLQ (within 24hours)
Anorexia, nausea +/- vomiting, low grade fever, change in bowel habit
What are the important clinical signs of acute appendicitis? (5)
McBurney’s point
Blumberg sign
Rovsing sign
Psoas sign
Obturator sign
What is McBurney’s point?
tenderness in the RLQ (lateral 1/3 of a hypothetical line drawn from the right ASIS to the umbilicus)
What is Blumber sign?
rebound tenderness especially in the RIF
What is Rovsing sign?
RLQ pain elicited on deep palpation of the LLQ
What is Psoas sign?
RLQ pain elicited on flexion of right hip against resistance
What is obturator sign?
RLQ pain on passive internal rotation of the hip with hip & knee flexion
What are the investigations for acute appendicitis?
Bloods
Imaging
Diagnostic laparoscopy
What do you look out in bloods for acute appendicitis?
FBC: neutrophilic leukocytosis
increased CRP
Urinalysis: possible mild pyuria/ haematuria
electrolyte imbalances in profound vomiting
What is pyuria?
a condition in which you have high levels of white blood cells (leukocytes) or pus in your urine (pee)
What type of imaging do you use for different patients for acute appendicitis?
CT: adults esp over 50
USS: children/ pregnancy/ breastfeeding
MRI: in pregnancy if USS inconclusive