Gastrointestinal & Nutrition Flashcards
Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
- Mechanism
- Clinical Presentation
- Diagnosis from Ascitic Fluid
- Treatment

Confusion caused by uremia (threshold BUN)
BUN > 100 mg/dL
Clinical Features of Esophageal Perforation
- Etiology
- Clinical Presentation
- Diagnosis
- Management


Multiple calcifications within the pancreatic duct, consistent with chronic pancreatitis
Overview of chronic pancreatitis
- Etiology
- Clinical Presentation
- Laboratory results/imaging
- Treatment


Pancreatic mass (pancreatic cancer)
Obstructive jaundice (conjugated hyperbilirubinemia)
Epigastric pain
Weight loss

Acute pancreatitis (caused by gallstone obstruction of th eampulla of Vater)
Epigastric abdominal pain
Nausea/vomiting
Elevated serum lipase
Pancreatic edema/enlargement with fat stranding on CT scan
Hepatic encephalopathy
- Precipitating factors
- Clinical presentation
- Treatment

Elevated alkaline phosphotase
Elevated bilirubin
Blockage of the common bile duct
Symptoms of iron toxicity
Early symptoms
Late symptoms
Long-term
Early symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
GI hemorrhage
Green diarrhea
Late symptoms: Severe lactic acidosis, hepatotoxicity, organ failure
Long-term: Bowel obstruction from scarring of GI tract
Acetaminophen toxicity
Nausea
Vomiting
Hepatic toxicity
Serotonin syndrome
Defects in cognition and behavior
Autonomic nervous system dysfunction
Neuromuscular dysfunction
Reye syndrome
Occurs in children with certain viral illnesses treated with salicylates (aspirin)
Vomiting
Delirium
Hyperventilation
Hepatomegaly
Risk factors for small bowel obstruction
Prior abdominal or pelvic surgery
Hernias
Intestinal inflammation (e.g., Crohn’s)
Malignancy
Prior radiation

Small bowel obstruction

Acute cholecystitis
Palliative treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer causing jaundice and pruritus
Endoscopic common bile duct stent placement to relieve obstruction
C. difficile colitis
- Risk factors
- Pathogenesis
- Clinical presentation
- Diagnosis
- Treatment

Parasitic infections
- Presentation
- Diagnosis
1. Presentation
Persistent GI discomfort
Malabsoption
Eosinophilia
Individuals residing in or visiting resource-limited regions
2. Diagnosis
Serial stool examinations for ova and parasites
Painless GI bleeding in children
- Diagnosis
- Etiology
- Diagnosis
1. Diagnosis: Meckel diverticulum
2. Etiology: Ectopic gastric mucosa
3. Test: Positive 99mTc-pertechnetate scan
Upper GI series for bilious vomiting in a 3-week-old

Midgut volvulus from intestinal malrotation
Corkscrew-shaped duodenum in the right abdomen


Hirschprung
Delayed passage of meconium

Pneumatosis intestinalis
Pathognomonic for necrotizing enterocolitis
Seen in premature infants or term infants with risk factors for intestinal ischemia (e.g., cyanotic heart disease).
Features of malabsorption in celiac disease (Symptoms)
- General
- Fat and protein
- Iron
- Calcium and vitamin D
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin A

Crohn Disease
- Clinical findings
- Diagnosis
- Treatment


Scleritis
Common extra-intestinal symptom of Crohn’s Disease

Erythema nodosum
Common extraintestinal manifestation of Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s Disease
Ulcerative colitis
Symptoms
Bloody diarrhea
Tenesmus
Fecal incontinence
Elevated BUN/creatinine ratio
Seen in upper GI bleeds
Elevated alkaline phosphatase
Increased in biliary obstruction, skeletal disease with increased osteoblast activity (e.g., Paget’s disease)
Mild increases in IBD or intra-abdominal infections
Evaluation of minimal bright red blood per rectum

Diagnostic criteria of cyclic vomiting syndrome
Treatment
Treatment with anti-emetics, anti-migraine medication (in those with a family history of migraine)

Necrotizing enterocolitis
- Risk factors
- Clinical features
- X ray findings
- Treatment
- Complications

Milk protein-induced enterocolitis
Blood-tinged stools in an otherwise healthy infant 2-8 weeks after sensitization to milk protein

Pneumoperitoneum

Paralytic ileus
Uniformly distended, gas-filled loops of both the small and large intestines

Sigmoid volvulus
Features of carcinoid syndrome
1. Clinical manifestations
Skin:
GI:
Cardiac:
Pulmonary:
Miscellaneous:
2. Diagnosis
3. Treatment

Most common sites of ischemic colitis
Splenic flexure: Between superior and inferior mesenteric arteries
Rectosigmoid junction: Between sigmoid artery and superior rectal artery

Colonic ischemia
- Pathophysiology
- Clinical features
- Diagnosis
- Management

Small bowel (mesenteric) versus colonic ischemia
Small bowel (mesenteric) ischemia: due to embolic events
Colonic ischemia: Due to hypotension
Management algorithm for C. Difficile colitis

Nonalchoholic fatty liver disease
- Definition
- Clinical features
- Treatment

Dumping syndrome
- Symptoms
- Timing
- Pathogenesis
- Initial management


Jejunal atresia
“Triple bubble”
Gasless colon
Risk factors: poor fetal gut perfusion due to maternal use of vasoconstrictors (cocaine and tobacco)


Duodenal atresia
“Double bubble”
1/3 of duodenal atresia cases have chromosomal abnormalities, most commonly Down syndrome
Management of a patient with suspected achalasia on barium swallow
Endoscopy to rule out malignancy
Esophogeal cancer can cause pseudoachalasia
Significant weight loss, rapid symptom onset, and presentation at age > 60
Duodenal hematoma
More common in pediatric patients
Follow blunt abdominal trauma
Epigastric pain and vomiting 24-36 hours after original injury
- Risk factors
- Diagnosis
- Managment

Toxic megacolon
Common initial presentation of IBD
Radiographic evidence of colonic distension + symptoms of severe systemic toxicity (fever, leukocytosis, hemodynamic instability)


Brick red urate crystals in diapers
Sign of dehydration
For the first week of life, the number of wet diapers per day should equal the age of the baby in days

Breastfeeding failure jaundince versus breast milk jaundice
- Timing
- Pathophysiology
- Physical features
Babies who fail to ingest adequate milk don’t stool normally, and inadequate stooling results in decreased bilirubin elimination and increased enterohepatic circulation of bilirubin.
Treat breastfeeding failure jaundice by optimizing breastfeeding

Bilirubin metabolism pathway

Common causes of ascites
- Extraperitoneal causes
- Peritoneal causes

Folate deficiency
Megaloblastic anemia
Can develop in weeks
Normal methylmalonic acid
No neurologic deficits
B12 deficiency
Megaloblastic anemia
May occur with intestinal bacterial overgrowth
Perncious anemia (lackof intrinsic factor)
High methylmalonic acid
Takes years to develop
Pacreatic adenocarcinoma
- Risk factors
- Clinical presentation
- Laboratory studies

Clinical manifestations of trace mineral deficiencies
- Chromium
- Copper
- Iron
- Selenium
- Zinc
Risk factors for trace mineral deficiency include malabsorption, bowel resection, poor nutritional intake, and dependence on parenteral nutrition

B3 deficiency
Niacin deficiency
Pellagra: Dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, possibly death
Causes of steatorrhea

- Pathogenesis
- Clinical findings
- Diagnosis
- Treatment

Wilson disease

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction
Functional biliary disorder to to dyskinesia or stenosis of the sphincter of Oddi
Recurrent, episodic pain in the right upper quadrant or epigastric region
Corresponding elevations in aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase
Option analegesics may cause sphincter contraction and precipitate symptoms.
Small bowel obstruction versus ileus
- Etiology
- Abdominal examination
- Small bowel dilation
- Large bowel dilation


Mechanical bowel obstruction
Air-fluid levels

Ischemic colitis
Edema and air in bowel wall (pneumatosis)
Acute liver failure
- Etiology
- Clinical Presentation
- Diagnostic requirements

How to reduce complications

Diverticulosis
Risk of complications is
Lower with a high intake of fruit and vegetable fiber
Higher with heavy meat consumption, aspirin or NSAIDs, obesity, possibly smoking
Riboflavin deficiency
B2
Cheilosis, glossitis, seborrheic dematitis (often affecting genitals), pharyngitis, and edema and/or erythema of the mouth.
Pyridoxine deficiency
B6
Irritability, depression, dermatitis, stomatitis.
Can also cause an elevated serum homocysteine concentration, a known risk factor for venous thromboembolic disease and atherosclerosis.

Esophageal rupture
Diagnosed with contrast esophagram (water-soluble contrast preferred because it is less inflammatory than barium)
Clinical features of esophageal perforation
- Etiology
- Clinical presentation
- Diagnosis
- Management

Approach to hyperbilirubinemia in adults
Positive urine bilirubin is associated with a buildup of conjugated bilirubin (which is water soluble)
Positive urobilinogen is associated with a buildup on unconjugated bilirubin (which can enter from the feces).
Hemolysis causes unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia and positive urobilinogen assay.

Differentiating features of Hirschsprung disease and meconium ileus
Gold standard for diagnosis of Hirschsprung: Rectal suction biopsy, demonstrating the absence of ganglion cells.
Treatment for Hirschsprung: Surgical resection of aganglionic segment followed by anastomosis of the normal bowel to the anus


Microcolon
Characteristic of meconium ileus
Clinical features of severe pancreatitis
- Clinical presentation
- Associated with increased risk of severe pacreatitis
- Complications


Intraperitoneal free air
Most patients with perforate viscus require urgent exploratory laparotomy

Polyps with malignant potential
Adenomas
Villous features (long glands on histology)
Large size (>= 1 cm)
High number (>= 3 concurrent adenomas)
Sessile (nonpedunculated)

Target sign
Characteristic of intussesception

Intussusception
- Risk factors
- Clinical presentation
- Diagnosis
- Treatment

Risk factors for umbilical hernia
African American race
Premature birth
Ehlers-Danlos
Beckwith-Wiedemann
Hypothyroidism
Pediatric abdominal wall defects (Diagnosis, Clinical Features, Treatment)
- Umbilical hernia
- Gastroschisis
- Omphalocele

Small bowel obstruction versus ileus
- Etiology
- Abdominal examination
- Small bowel dilation
- Large bowel dilation

Acalculous cholecystitis
Occurs in critically ill patients
Patients in the ICU with multiorgan failure, severe trauma, surgery, burns, sepsis, or prolonged parenteral nutrition.
Imaging studies show gallbladder wall thickening and distension and pericholecystic fluid.
Emergency treatment of choice: Antibiotics and percutaneous cholecystectomy, followed by cholecystectomy when the medical condition stabilizes.

Dermatitis herpetiformis
Associated with celiac disease
Celiac disease
- Risk factors
- Symptoms
- Diagnosis

Clinical features of acute diverticulitis
- Clinical presentation
- Diagnosis
- Management
- Complications

Management of diverticulitis
Uncomplicated: Bowel rest, antibiotics, observation
- Complicated (abscess, perforation, obstruction, or fistula): IV antibiotics and observation, drainage of fluid collection >3 cm by CT guidance
- Complicated with no improvement after 5 days: Surgical drainage and debridement
- Fistulas, perforation with peritonitis, obstruction, or recurrent attacks: Sigmoid resection
Achalasia
- Clinical presentation
- Diagnosis
- Managment
Esophageal cancer classically presents with dysphagi to solids, especially bread and meat. Tobacco and alcohol use are major risk factors.

Esophageal webs
Associated with Iron deficiency
Plummer-Vinson syndrome
Hepatic encephalopathy
- Precipitating factors
- Clinical prsentation
- Treatment


Splenic laceration
Primary biliary cholangitis
- Pathogenesis
- Clinical features
- Laboratory findings
- Treatment
5. Complications


Pilonodal disease
Males 15-30
Obesity
Sedentary lifestyles and occupations
Deep gluteal cleft

Folliculitis

Coin in esophagous
Can be observed for up to 24 hours after ingestion.
If the patient is symptomatic or time of ingestion is unknown, coin should be promptly removed by flexible endoscopy.
Batteries, sharp objects, or multiple magnets require pre-emptive removal.

Choanal atresia
Failure of the posterior nasal passage to canalize completely (baby can’t breathe through its nose)
Cyanosis and distress worsened by feeding and relieved by crying.
Lactose intolerance (testing)
Positive hydrogen breath test
Positive stool test for reducing substances
Low stool pH
Increased stool osmotic gap
Gilbert syndrome
- Epidemiology
- Pathogenesis
- Clinical findings
- Diagnosis
- Treatment


Bite cells
Seen in G6PD deficiency (along with Heinze bodies)
Characteristics of gastroesophageal mural injury (Mallory Weiss tear, Boerhaave syndrome)
- Etiology
- Clinical presentation
- Laboratory/imaging
- Treatment
