Gastro - week 3 Flashcards
what happens when swallowing is initiated
Upper oesophageal sphincter relaxes
Primary peristaltic wave triggered
Lower oesophageal sphincter relaxes as soon as swallowing is initiated
what kind of muscle does the oesophagus have
striated muscle
what are some signs of oesophageal disease
• Common o Dysphagia o Odynophagia o Heartburn o Acid regurgitation o Waterbrash
• Less common o Chest pain o Food regurgitation o Food bolus obstruction o Globus (sensation that there is something at the back of the throat) o Cough o Dysphonia
what are the symptoms of oesophageal cancer
Very few symptoms for oesophageal cancer until late state where patients have dysphagia for solids and then liquids at which point the tumour is quite advanced
describe dysphagia
• Alarm symptom for immediate evaluation
• Classified as either o Oropharyngeal Neuromuscular Skeletal muscular disorders Mechanical obstruction Miscellaneous • Decreased saliva • Alzheimers • depression
o Oesophageal (when the patient can swallow food into the oesophagus but then becomes stuck) Mechanical obstruction Motility disorders Miscellaneous • Diabetes • Alcoholism • GORD
what are clinical signs of oesophageal disease
- Dental erosion in GORD
- Weight loss
- Anaemia
- Lymphadenopathy
describe GORD
Reflux with transient lower oesohageal relaxations o More common o Daytime reflux o Small or no hiatus hernia (when the top of the stomach slides through the diaphragm) o Often no oesophagitis • Reflux with low lower oesophageal sphincter pressures o Less common (20%) o Nocturnal reflux o Often large HH o More severe oesophagitis o Barrett’s • Typical symptoms o Heartburn o Acid regurgitation o Water brash o Often meal related
what are the investigations for oesophageal disease
• Endoscopy • Barium swallow • Oesophageal function tests (manometry, pH and impedence monitoring) • If suspicion of cancer o Urgent upper GI endoscopy o CT o CT-PET o Endoscopic ultrasound
describe barrett’s oesophagus
- Specialised intestinal metaplasia in the lower oesophagus
- Commonest in obese men >50
- Often asymptomatic
- Premalignant
- Surveillance for patients and ablation to remove abnormal tissue if low grade dysplasia is found
- Treat GORD with long term with PPI
what are some complications of GORD
- Oesophagitis
- Peptic stricture
- Barrett’s oesophagus
- Adenocarcinoma
what is the treatment for GORD
• Lifestyle changes o Smoking o Alcohol o Diet o Weight reduction • Mechanical o Posture, clothing, elevate bed-head • Antacids • Acid suppression – PPI • Surgery
describe achalasia
• Failure of LOS relaxation
• Absence of peristalsis
• 1/100,000 incidence
• Degenerative lesion of oesophageal innervation
• Typically present in younger people with
dysphagia equal for liquids and solids
o Also often weight loss and chest pain
• Endoscopic appearances usually normal
• Can progress to oesophageal dilatation and respiratory complication (infection)
• Treatment
o Dilating and disrupting the LOS with endoscopic
dilatation
o botox is very effective but not long lasting
o surgical myotomy
o POEM – incision in the wall of the oesophagus to
cut the oesophageal sphincter
describe eosinophilic oesophagitis
• Commonly presents with food bolus obstruction, dysphagia
• Younger age, M>F, 50/100,000 incidence
• History of atopy (asthama, hayfever)
• Endoscopy – furrows, rings, strictures, exudates which are lumpy areas in the oesophagus
• Biopsy for diagnosis - >15 eosinophils / high power field - 3 from lower, 3 from mid
• Treatment
o Diet – elimination of egg, wheat, milk, nuts, soya, fish
o Drugs – PPI, topical steroids (main treatment)
o Dilatation for strictures
describe an oesophageal stricture
• Narrowing of gullet
• Benign
o GORD – 10%
o Barrett’s
o Extrinsic compression - masses in mediastinum or
lung
o Post-radiotherapy
o Anastomotic following surgery/oesophagectomy
o Rings and webs – often associated with acid reflux
o Accidental or suicidal ingestion of corrosives
• Malignant
o Oesophageal cancer
• Treatment
o PPI
o Dilatation of the narrowed oesophagus
describe oesophageal cancer
• Adenocarcinoma o Lower third o Younger o Reflux – barrett’s o Obesity o More common o Increasing
• Squamous cell o Mid, upper oesophagus o Older o Smoking o Alcohol o Less common o Declining
• Palliation aims for malignant strictures
o To relieve symptoms without necessarily altering the course of the disease by dilating the oesophagus to help the patient swallow and improve quality of life
what are some tips for diagnosing elderly patients
o Neurological – particularly if intermittent or long standing
o Oesophageal cancer - if new, progressive, with
regurgitation and weight loss
Presents with progressive dysphagia for
solids and then liquids
what are some tips for diagnosing patients who arent elderly
o Dysmotility
Achalasia
Or secondary to acid reflux
Dysphagia equal for liquids and solids
what is the likely dianosis for a young patient with food bolus obstruction
o Eosinophilic oesophagitis
• If hoarse voice think ENT causes
• If regurgitation of food from previous days think
pharyngeal pouch
describe the helicobacter breath test
• Drink C13 urea which would be split be helicobacter into ammonia and C13 CO2 which could be detected in the breath
what is the treatment for helicobacter
• First line (90% efficacy) o Lansoprazole o Clarithromycin o Metronidazole o All for one week • Second line o Lansoprazole o Clarithromycin o Amoxycillin o For one week
what is the qFIT test for
quantitative faecal immunochemical test
screening for colorectal cancer
• Detects hidden or “occult” blood in stool
• Uses antibodies for human haemoglobin
describe colonic polyps
- Not all colonic polyps progress to adenocarcinoma
- Adenomas have the highest progression potential to adenocarcinoma
- Hyperplastic polyps don’t have malignant potential
- A special type of hyperplastic polyp called serrated polyp has some malignant potential
describe the APC protein
The APC protein (tumour suppressor) is encoded by the APC gene, a negative regulator that controls beta-catenin concentrations and interacts with E-cadherin which are involved in cell adhesion. Deletion of this gene predisposes to cancer
what are alarm features of colorectal cancer
- Weight loss
- Rectal bleeding
- Anaemia, thrombocytosis
- Persistent diarrhoea
- Frequent nocturnal symptoms
- New onset over 50 years
- FHx bowel cancer
- PMHx IBD
what are risk factors for colorectal cancer
- Diet high in red meats and processed meats
- Cooking meats at very high temperatures
- Diet low in fibre
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Alcohol excess
- FHx of colorectal polyps or cancer
- History of IBD
- Older age
where are most colorectal cancers
Around 2/3rd of colorectal cancers in rectum, sigmoid and descending colon (i.e. left side)