Gastroenterology Flashcards
gold standard for dx. kidney stones in someone who presents with unilateral flank pain
non-contrast helical CT scan
acute abdomen
sudden and severe abdominal pain less than 24 hours in duration
next best step in pt presenting with acute abdomen
chest XR
supine and upright abdominal radiographs - to exclude bowel obstruction or perforation
what is definitive diagnostic test for acute abdominal pain?
abdominal CT scan
elderly man presents with severe back pain with syncope followed by abdominal discomfort - dx?
ruptured aortic aneurysm
- medical emergency
what diagnostic test should be performed in someone suspected of having ruptured aortic aneurysm
CT scan followed by surgery
patient presents with fever, crampy abdominal pain (LLQ) and an associated change in bowel habits; labs show leukocytosis - dx?
diverticulitis
Rome III criteria
atleast two of:
- pain releived with defecation
- onset assoc. w/ change in stool frequency
- onset assoc. w/ change in consistency of stool
alarm symptoms
older age male sex nocturnal awakening rectal bleeding weight loss family history of colon cancer
tx. of constipation-predom IBS in a pt whom fibre supplements did not work
reassurance and polyethylene glycol
an elderly patient with known atherosclerotic disease presents with rapid onset, severe abdominal pain or tenderness; she also notes bright red rectal bleeding and diarrhea - what test should you do? what will you find? and what is diagnosis?
do CT scan abdomen
dx. ischemic colitis
- will show segmental thickening of bowel wall
how do you establish diagnosis of ischemic colitis?
colonscopy - patchy segmental ulcerations (in pt with compatible history)
patient presents with signs/symptoms of acute diverticulitis - what imaging/diagnostic test should you do?
contrast-enhanced CT scan of abdomen and pelvis
- confirms diagnosis as well as evaluates for any complications
what two tests should be avoided in suspected acute diverticulitis?
colonscopy
barium enema
- both pose risk of perforation with air insufflation
complications of diverticulitis
obstruction
perforation
abscess
fistulas
chronic alcoholic patient presents with chronic upper abdominal pain radiating to the back, diabetes and steatorrhea - what do you consider?
chronic pancreatitis
how do you confirm dx of chronic pancreatitis?
calcififcations on plain films or CT scan
patient presents with pain, fever and jaundice; there is also elevation of pancreatic enzymes in the setting of biliary obstruction…
acute cholangitis
diagnostic criteria of HUS
thrombocytopenia
microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (schistocytes, elevated reticulocytes, elevated LDH)
tx. of HUS
supportive with fluids and monitoring of electrolytes and blood counts
- packed RBC is anemia is severe
- antibiotics and platelets are not recommeneded
patient presents with diarrhea and tenesmus; she recently underwent chemotherapy and radiation for rectal cancer - dx?
radiation proctitis
- develops within 6 weeks after tx and resolves on its own usually
how do you diagnose radiation proctitis?
flexible sigmoidoscopy
- mucosal telengiectasias
- submucosal fibrosis
- arteriole endarteritis
when does stool osmolality test come in handy?
when you want to distinguish osmotic diarrhea from secretory diarrhea - ie. in pts having factitious diarrhea (low stool osmolality)
how does malabsorption present in chronic pancreatitis?
diarrhea, steatorrhea
weight loss
deficiency in fat soluble vitamins
definitive diagnostic test for chronic pancreatitis
abdominal CT scan
tx. of severe CDI with colitis
oral vancomycin
IV metronidazole
Tx. of ischemic colitis
IV fluids and bowel rest
- symptoms resolve w/in 48 hrs
what patients with salmonella gastroenteritis should receive antibiotic therapy?
- pts < 2y yo or > 50 yo
- pts with severe illness - toxicity/bacteremia
- pts with atherosclerotic plaques, endovascular or bone prosthesis - seeding
- immunocompromised pts
what drugs should be avoided in pts with infectious diarrhea (fever, bloody stools, systemic toxicity)
bowel paralytics such as loperamide
how do you diagnose hepatocellular injury?
elevation of ALT (more specific )and AST
direct (CB) hyperbilirubinemia > 50%
how do you diagnose cholestatic injury?
elevation of ALP (minimal elevations of ALT and AST)
first step to evaluate cholestatic pattern of injury?
USG - determine if intrahepatic or extrahepatic biliary obstruction is present
how do you diagnose non-hepatic injury such as muscle injury?
striking elevations of AST (less ALT)
no assoc. elevation of CB
incidental finding of indirect (UCB) hyperbilirubinemia in an asymptomatic patient, with normal Hb and LFTs - dx?
Gilbert’s syndrome
Gilbert’s syndrome
total bilirubin conc. up to 3.0 mg/dL resulting from a reduced expression of enzyme that conjugates bilirubin
lab findings in pts with hemolysis
UCB high
low Hb level, low MCV and high RDW
cholestatic dz due to OCP
CB high
elevated ALP
ERCP with sphincerterectomy is recommended for…
pts with biliary obstruction due to choledocholithiasis
definitive tx. for pts with symptomatic gallstone disease
laparoscopic cholecystectomy
chronic cholestatic disease, associated with IBD, characterized by fibrosis, inflammation and stricturing of the biliary tree
primary sclerosing cholangitis