Gastroenterology Flashcards
Which biomarkers can be used to diagnose and monitor IBD?
Faecal calprotectin and lactoferrin
What is cholelithiasis?
Gallstones
What is cholecystitis?
Inflammation of the gallbladder
What is cholangitis?
Infection of the biliary tree
What are the risk factors for cholelithiasis?
Fat, Female, Fertile (multiple children or pregnant), Forty (or older), Fair-skinned, Family history
6 F’s
What is charcot’s triad for cholangitis?
- Abdominal pain
- High fever
- Jaundice
What is the most common cause of Budd-Chiari syndrome?
Polycythemia vera
What is the pathophysiology of Budd-Chiari syndrome?
Obstruction of hepatic blood outflow → hepatic venous congestion → increased sinusoidal pressure and cellular hypoxia → liver cell damage
What is Murphy’s sign?
Ask the patient to take a deep breath while palpating the right subcostal area
If pain occurs when the inflamed gallbladder comes into contact with the examiner’s hand, Murphy’s sign is positive
Acute cholecystitis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T0XUQ1M-x0
What is the most important risk factor for AAAs?
Smoking
Also advancing age, atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension
Where is splenic pain referred to?
Left shoulder
What are five clinical signs which suggest appendicitis?
- Blumberg’s sign (rebound tenderness)
- McBurney point tenderness
- Rovsing’s sign
- Psoas sign
- Obturator sign
What is McBurney’s sign?
Point tenderness in the area one-third of the distance from the right anterior superior iliac spine to the umbilicus
Suggests appendicitis
What is Rovsing’s sign
Deep palpation of the LLQ causes RLQ pain
Appendicitis
What is the psoas sign?
RLQ pain with extension of the right leg against resistance
Appendicitis
What is the obturator sign?
RLQ pain with flexion and internal rotation of the right leg
Appendicitis
Which 3 organisms are most commonly responsible for cholecystitis?
- E. coli
- Klebsiella
- Enterococcus
Name 3 of the most common organisms found in abdominal sepsis from the stomach or duodenum
1. Streptococcus
- Candida
- Lactobacilli
- Fungi
* Aerobic species predominate*
Name 3 of the most common organisms found in abdominal sepsis from the bowel and appendix
1. E. coli
2. Bacteroides fragilis
- Clostridium
- Peptostreptococcus
- E. faecalis
Anaerobes predominate
Bowel ischaemia dramatically increases the risk of sepsis from which organism?
Clostridium
What is the empirical treatment for intra-abdominal infections of the lower GI tract e.g. diverticulitis, appendicitis
Gentamicin PLUS amoxicillin/ampicillin PLUS metronidazole
- Metronidazole provides anaerobe cover*
- G + A provide Gram -ve cover*
What is the empirical treatment for intra-abdominal infections originating from the biliary system?
Gentamicin PLUS amoxicillin/ampicillin
G + A provide Gram -ve cover
Anaerobe cover not needed
An increased proportion of immature neutrophils in the blood is known as a right or left shift?
Left shift
What are 4 causes of elevated LFTs in a febrile patient?
- Ascending cholangitis
- Bacteraemia
- Drug reaction
- Viral hepatitis (rare)
What type of nociceptors are most commonly involved in visceral pain and what stimulates them?
Mechanoreceptors
Stimulated by stretch
What type of nociceptors are most commonly involved in somatic pain and what stimulates them?
Chemoreceptors
Stimulated by blood or inflammatory cytokines
List 3 places in the abdomen with somatic chemoreceptors
- Skin
- Muscle (abdominal wall)
- Parietal peritoneum
- Mesenteric attachment
List 2 places in the abdomen with visceral chemoreceptors
- Muscular lumen
- Organ capsules
How do signals from abdominal visceral nociceptors enter the dorsal horn?
Sympathetic and parasympathetic efferent nerves
Via splanchnic nerve
What do Cullen’s and Grey Turner’s signs suggest?
Retroperitoneal bleeding
Non-specific and sensitive sign of haemorrhagic pancreatitis, but associated with a poor prognosis
Also ruptured or leaking AAA
What electrolyte abnormality is found in pancreatitis?
Hypocalcaemia
Lipase breaks down peripancreatic and mesenteric fat → release of free fatty acids that bind calcium →hypocalcaemia
What is the most common cause of acute pancreatitis?
Gallstone
Distal to the ampulla of Vater, impeding the flow of pancreatic secretions
Which organs are retroperitoneal?
SAD PUCKER
S: suprarenal (adrenal) gland
A: aorta/IVC
D: duodenum (second and third part)
P: pancreas (except tail)
U: ureters
C: colon (ascending and descending)
K: kidneys
E: (o)esophagus
R: rectum
What are the pancreatic enzymes?
Lipase
Amylase
What is the most common cause of small bowel obstruction?
Adhesions
What is the most common cause of large bowel obstruction?
Colorectal cancer
Where does pain from nephrolithiasis radiate?
Upper ureteral or renal pelvic obstruction: flank pain or tenderness
Lower ureteral obstruction: pain that may radiate to the ipsilateral testicle or labium
What is the most common type of renal calculi?
Calcium oxalate