Chapter 10 GI Flashcards
What is a tracheoesophageal fistula?
A congenital defect resulting in a connection between the esophagus and trachea.
Describe the most common variant of a tracheoesophageal fistula?
Consists of proximal esophageal atresia with the distal esophagus arising from the trachea.
How does the most common variant of a tracheoesophageal fistula present?
With vomiting, polyhydramnios, abdominal distension, and aspiration.
What does atresia mean with respect to a lumen?
It means the lumen of a tub ends in a pouch or a blind loop.
What is an esophageal web and how does it present? Where does it typically arise
Thin protrusion of esophageal mucosa (ONLY), most often in the upper esophagus, presents with dysphagia for poorly chewed food.
What do esophageal webs carry increased risk for?
squamous cell carcinoma
What is plummer vinson syndrome?
Characterized by severe iron deficiency anemia, esophageal webs, and beefy red tongue due to atrophic glossitis
What is a Zenker diverticulum? Where does it arise? and how does it present?
Outpouching of pharyngeal mucosa through an acquired defect in the muscular wall (False diverticulum). Arises above the upper esophageal sphincter at the junction of the esophagus and pharynx. Presents with dysphagia, obstruction and halitosis (bad breath). Patients feel like they have something stuck in the back of their throat.
What is Mallory-Weiss Syndrome and what is it caused by? How does it present?
Longitudinal laceration of mucosa at the GE junction caused by severe vomiting, usually due to alcoholism or bulimia. Presents with PAINFUL hematemesis.
What does Mallory Weiss syndrome carry a risk for? Describe it
Boerhaave syndrome - rupture of the esophagus leading to air in the mediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema (you can push on air bubbles beneath the skin and as you can hear “rice crispies” crackling)
What are esophageal varices and what do they arise secondarily to? Describe the anatomy
Dilated submucosal veins in the LOWER esophagous. (proximal esophagous drains via azygous vein into SVC). Arise secondary to portal hypertension. The distal esophageal vein normally drains into the portal vein via the left gastric vein. In portal hypertension, the left gastric vein backs up into the esophageal vein, resulting in dilation (varices)
Describe the symptoms of esophageal varices? What complication are patients at risk for and what are the symptoms?
Usually asymptomatic. Risk for rupture exists. Rupture presents with PAINLESS hematemesis and is the most common cause of death in cirrhosis. (Most patients also have a coagulopathy due to poor liver function)
What is achalasia?
Disordered esophageal motility with inability to relax the LES
What is achalasia due to?
Damaged ganglion cells in the myenteric plexus.
Where is the myenteric plexus located and what is its function?
Ganglion cells of the myenteric plexus are located between the inner cucular and outer longitudinal layers of the muscularis propria and are important for regulating bowel motility and relaxing of the LES.
What causes damage to myenteric plexus ganglion in achalasia?
Damage can be idiopathic or secondary to a known insult (e.g. Trypanosoma cruzi infection in chagas disease.)
What are 5 clinical features of Achalasia?
1 dysphagia for solids and liquids
2 putrid breath
3 high LES pressure on esophageal manometry
4 Bird-beak sign on barium swallow study
5 increased risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
What happens in GERD?
Reflux of acid from the stomach due to reduced LES tone
What are 6 risk factors for GERD?
1 alcohol 2 tobacco 3 obesity 4 fat rich diet 5 caffeine 6 hiatal hernia
What are 4 clinical features of GERD?
1 Heartburn (mimics cardiac chest pain)
2 Asthma (adult onset) and cough
3 Damage to enamel of teeth
4 Ulceration with stricture and barrett esophagus are late complicaitons
What is the most common type of diaphragm hernia?
Sliding hiatal hernia where the stomach herniates up into th esophagus and creates an hour glass appearance due to compression of LES.
Describe some possible findings in a paraesophageal hiatal hernia?
This is less common. Bowel sounds in lung field. If present congenitally can result in lung hypoplasia.
What is Barrett esophagus? What percentage of GERD patients develop this? What is it due to?
Metaplasia of the lower esophageal mucosa from stratified squamous epithelium to nonciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells; seen in 10 % of patients with GERD. Response of lower esophageal stem cells to acidic stress
What might barrett esophagus progress to?
dysplasia and adenocarcinoma
What are the two subclasses of esophageal carcinoma?
adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma
Describe adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, where it is common, what it arises from, and which portion it involves?
Adenocarcinoma is a malignant proliferation of glands; most common type of esophageal carcinoma in the West. Arises from preexisting Barrett esophagus; usually involves the lower one third of the esophagus
Describe squamous cell carcinoma, where it is most common, and what portion it affects?
Malignant proliferation of squamous cells; most common esophageal cancer worldwide. Usually arises in the upper or middle third of the esophagus; major risk factors are based off of irritation.
What are 5 major risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus?
1 Alcohol
2 Very hot Tea
3 Achalasia (rotting food)
4 Esophageal web (i.e. plummer vinson –> food rots)
5 Esophageal injury (i.e. lye ingestion - chemical used to straighten hair)
When does esophageal carcinoma present and what do symptoms include. What addition symptoms may squamous cell carcinoma present with?
Symptoms include progressive dysphagia (solids to liquids), weight loss, pain, and hematemesis. SCC may additionally present with horse voice (recurrent laryngeal nerve involvement) and cough (tracheal involvement)
Describe the lymph node spread patterns based on area of the esophagus that is affected.
Upper 1/3- cervical nodes
Middle 1/3 - mediastinal or tracheobronchial nodes
Lower 1/3 - celiac and gastric nodes
What is gastroschisis?
Congenital malformation of the anterior abdominal wall leading to exposure of the abdominal contents
What is a omphalocele? What is it due to? what are the contents covered by?
A persistent herniation of bowel into umbilical cord. Due to failure of herniated intestines to return to the body cavity during development. Contents are covered by peritoneum and amnion of the umbilical cord.
What is pyloric stenosis? how does it classically present and how is it treated?
Congenital hypertrophy of pyloric smooth muscle; more common in males. Classically presents two weeks after birth as projectile nonbilious vomiting, visible peristalsis, and olive like mass in the abdomen. Treatment is a myotomy
When does pyloric stenosis present?
babies are born NORMAL. Develops over the course of 2 weeks after birth
What is acute gastritis? and what is it due to? what doe natural defenses include?
Acidic damage to the stomach mucosa. Due to imbalance between mucosal defenses and acidic environment. Defenses include mucin layer produced by foveolar cells, bicarbonate secretion by surface epithelium, and normal blood supply (provides nutrients and picks up leaked acid0
What are 6 risk factors for acute gastritis?
1 Severe burn (Curling ulcer)- hypovolemia leads to decreased blood supply.
2 NSAIDs (Decresed PGE2 which normally helps to decrease acid production, and upregulates bicarb, mucin and blood flow)
3 Heavy alcohol consumption (Direct mucosal damage)
4 Chemotherapy (kill stem cells)
5 Increased intracranial pressure (Cushing ulcer)- increased stim of vagus nerve leads to increased acid production)
6 Shock Multiple (stress) ulcers may be seen in ICU patients dues to decreased blood flow
What does acidic damage in acute gastritis result in?
superficial inflammation, erosion (loss of superficial epithelium), or ulcer (loss of mucosal layer)
What is chronic gastritis and what are the 2 types?
Chronic inflammation of the stomach mucosa. divided into two types based on underlying etiology: chronic autoimmune gastritis and chronic H pylori gastritis
What is chronic autoimmune gastritis due to and what immunological factors are involved?
Due to autoimmune destruction of gastric parietal cells, which are located in the stomach BODY and FUNDUS. Associated with antibodies against parietal cells and/or intrinsic factor; useful for diagnosis, but pathogenesis is mediated by T cells (type 4 hypersensitivity)
What are 4 clinical features of chronic autoimmune gastritis?
1 atrophy of mucosa with intestinal metaplasia (peyer's patches with lymphocytes) 2 achlorhydria with increased gastrin levels due to G-cell hyperplasia (make gastrin in the antrum) 3 megaloblastic (pernicious) anemia due to lack of intrinsic factor 4 increased risk for gastric adenocarcinoma (intestinal type)
What is chronic H pylori gastritis due to? describe the pathogenesis?
Due to H pylori induced acute and chronic inflammationlmost common form of gastritis. H Pylori ureases and proteases along with inflammation weaken mucosal defenses; ANTRUM is the most common site.
How does chronic H pylori gastritis present? What does it increase risk for?
Epigastric abdominal pain; increases risk for ulceration (peptic ulcer disease), gastric adenocarcinoma (intestinal type), and MALT lymphoma (marginal zone)
What does treatment of Chronic H pylori gastritis involve? what is the common response. what tests are used to follow up treatment success?
TRIPLE THERAPY. resolves gastritis/ulcer and reverses intestinal metaplasia. Negative urea breath test and lack of stool antigen confirm eradication of H pylori.
What is peptic ulcer disease? describe the intestinal involvement?
Solitary mucosal ulcer involving proximal duodenum (90%) or distal stomach (10%)
What are duodenal ulcers in PUD due to? how do they present? What is the diagnostic study/results? where do the ulcers usually arise? What complications may occur
Almost always due to H pylori (>95%); rarely, due to ZE syndrome. Presents with epigastric pain that improves with meals. Diagnostic endoscopic biopsy shows ulcer with hypertrophy of Brunner Glands (produce mucous like substance to protect from acid). Usually arises in anterior duodenum; when present in the posterior duodenum rupture may lead to bleeding from the gastroduodenal artery or acute pancreatitis.
What are gastric ulcers in PUD usually due to? how do they present? where are they located? and what complications may occur?
Usually due to H pylori (75%); other causes include NSAIDs (20%) and Bile reflux (5%). Presents with epigastric pain that worsens with meals. Ulcer is usually located in the lesser curvature of the antrum. Rupture carries risk of bleeding from left gastric artery.
What does the differential diagnosis of peptic ulcers include?
carcinoma
Are duodenal ulcers more commonly malignant or benign?
Almost always benign, Duodenal carcinoma is extremely rare
What type of gastric carcinoma can cause gastric ulcers? Describe the appearance of both and what is required for a definitive diagnosis?
intestinal type. Benign peptic ulcers are usually small (), and surrounded by radiating folds of mucosa. Malignant ulcers are large and irregular with heaped up margins. Biopsy is required for definitive diagnosis.
What is gastric carcinoma and what are the two subtypes?
Malignant proliferation of surface epithelial cells (adenomcarcinoma). Sub-classified into intestinal and diffuse types.
Describe how intestinal gastric carcinoma presents (gross appearance) and the risk factors for developing it?
More common type. presents as a large, irregular ulcer with heaped up margins; most commonly involves the lesser curvature of the antrum (similar to a gastic ulcer). Risk factors include intestinal metaplasia (e.g. due to H pylori and autoimmune gastritis), nitrosamines in smoked foods (japan) and blood type A
Describe how diffuse type gastric carcinoma is characterized by and its association with H pylori, intestinal metaplasia, or nitrosamines?
Characterized by signet ring cells that diffusely infiltrate the gastric wall; desmoplasia results in thickening of stomach wall (linitus plastica). Not associated with H pylori, metaplasia or nitrosamines
what is desmoplasia?
reactive response of stroma (fibrous tissue plus blood vessels)
Describe a signet ring cell?
Nucleus is pushed to the side of the cell by mucin globules.
How and when does gastric carcinoma present?
Presents late with weight loss, abdominal pain, anemia, and early satiety (classic in diffuse type); rarely presents as acanthosis nigricans or leser trelat sign
What is the lesar trelat sign?
Dozens of seborrheic keratoses in a line.
What is a classic lymph node that gastric carcinoma can spread to?
Left supraclavicular node (Virchows node)
Where do distant metastases of gastric carcinoma involve?
Commonly involves liver; other sites include periumbilical region (sister mary joseph nodule); seen with intestinal type. Bilateral ovaries (krukenberg tumor); seen with diffuse type.