Gastrointestinal System Flashcards
What are the features of glossitis?
- Beefy red tongue
- Smoothing of the tongue
What are the causes of glossitis?
- Vitamin B2, B3, B6 and B12 deficiency
- Iron deficiency
What is leukoplakia?
Areas of keratosis on the mucous membrane
>> Can be confused with oral candidiasis or oral hairy leukoplakia
>> More common in patients who smoke
What is oral hairy leukoplakia?
White patch on the side of the tongue
>> Caused by EBV
>> Typically in immunocompromised (e.g. HIV) patients
What are cold sores?
Oral HSV-1 (sometimes HSV-2) infection
What are the three salivary glands?
- Parotid gland
- Submandibular gland
- Sublingual gland
>> Secretions has alpha-amylase, bicarbonates, mucin, antibacterial substances such as IgA and growth factors that promote epithelial renewal
Describe the innervation of the salivary glands.
Sympathetic stimulation
- Very thick secretion
- Superior cervical ganglion
Parasympathetic stimulation
- Watery secretion
- CNVII and CNIX
What structure does the facial nerve run through?
Parotid gland
>> Remember that even though the facial nerve runs through the parotid gland, the parotid gland itself is supplied by the glossopharyngeal nerve
What is xerostomia?
Severe drying of the mouth
What syndrome is associated with xerostomia?
Sjogren’s syndrome
What are the possible causes of xerostomia?
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Antihistamines
- Anticholinergic drugs
What is sialolithiasis?
Stone in the salivary gland duct >> blockage of the salivary gland duct
What are the presenting features of sialolithiasis?
- Acute pain and swelling
>> Submandibular gland
>> Stensen’s duct of the parotid gland
What is the treatment of sialolithiasis?
Suck on candy/chew gum to increase salivary secretion
What is sialadenitis?
Inflammation of the salivary gland
What are the organisms that typically cause sialadenitis?
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Viridans streptococci
What is the most common salivary gland overall?
Pleomorphic adenoma
What is the most common benign salivary gland tumour?
Pleomorphic adenoma
What is the most common malignant salivary gland tumour?
Mucoepidermoid carcinoma
What is the second most common benign salivary gland tumour?
Warthin’s tumour
What makes up a pleomorphic adenoma?
Epithelial and mesenchymal cells
>> Chondromyxoid stroma and epithelium
What is a possible complication of pleomorphic adenoma?
Facial nerve injury
What is the underlying pathophysiology of cleft lip?
Failure of fusion of maxillary and medial nasal processes
What is the underlying pathophysiology of cleft palate?
- Failure of fusion of the 2 lateral palatine processes
>> Formation of the primary palate - Failure of fusion of the lateral palatine processes with the nasal septum and/or median palatine processes
>> Formation of the secondary palate
What are the common causative organisms of the common cold/infectious rhinitis?
- Coronavirus
- Rhinovirus
- Adenovirus
- Echovirus
What is an important side effect of cocaine to the nose?
- Cocaine is a potent vasoconstrictor >> ischemia
- Can lead to perforation of the nasal mucosa with excessive use
What are the four paranasal sinuses?
- Frontal sinus
- Maxillary sinus
- Ethmoid sinus
- Sphenoid sinus
>> Infectious rhinitis for an extended period of time >> bacterial sinusitis
What are the presenting features of sinusitis?
- Facial pain
- Fever
- Purulent nasal discharge
+ Nasal congestion
What is a common causative organism for tonsillitis?
Streptococcus pyogenes
Name two indications for tonsillectomy.
- Recurrent tonsillitis
- Obstructive sleep apnoea due to enlarged tonsils
What is the most common location of salivary gland tumours?
Parotid gland
What is congenital pyloric stenosis?
Hypertrophy of the pylorus, causing obstruction
What are the clinical features of congenital pyloric stenosis?
- More often in firstborn males
- Onset at ~2-6 weeks old
- Palpable “olive” mass in epigastric region
- Projectile vomiting
- Visible peristalsis
What is extrahepatic biliary atresia?
Incomplete recanalization of the bile duct during the development of the bile duct
How does extrahepatic biliary atresia present?
- Presents shortly after bith
- Dark urine
- Clay-coloured stools
- Jaundice
>> Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia
What is the Meckel diverticulum?
- Persistent remnant of the vitelline duct
- Outpouching in the ileum
- Can lead to ulcerations and bleeding
What is the rule of 2s for Meckel diverticulum?
- 2% of the population
- 2 inches long
- 2 feet from the ileocecal valve
- Presents in the first 2 years of life
- May have 2 types of epithelia
>> Gastric
>> Pancreatic
What is malrotation of the midgut?
- Usually in the 6th week of development, the midgut will herniate through the umbilicus and returns into the cavity in the 10th week of development to rotate around the superior mesenteric artery
- In malrotation, the normal 270o rotation is not completed
- Cecum and appendix lies in the upper abdomen
- Associated with volvulus
What condition is malrotation of the midgut associated with?
Volvulus
What is intestinal stenosis?
Failure of the normal recanalization of the lumen
What is Hirschsprung disease?
- Failure of the neural crest cells to migrate to the colon
- No peristalsis
How does Hirschsprung disease present?
- Usually presents in newborns
- Constipation: failure to pass meconium
- Abdominal distension
- Bowel movement precipitated by digital rectal exam
What is anal agenesis?
Lack of anal opening
What is the pathogenesis of anal agensis?
Improper formation of the urorectal septum
- Rectovesical fistula: anus to bladder
- Rectovaginal fistula
- Rectourethral fistula
What is the most common type of tracheoesophageal fistula?
Blind upper esophageal pouch witht e lower esophagus joined to the trachea
How does tracheoesophageal fistula present?
- Drooling
- Choking
- Vomiting
>>> Upon first feeding
How can TE fistula be diagnosed?
Failure to pass nasogastric tube into the stomach
What are the differences between an omphalocele and gastrochisis?
- *Omphalocele**
- Contents covered in a sac of peritoneum and amnion
- Liver is often protruding
- Other abnormalities common (in 50%)
- *Gastrochisis**
- Contents NOT covered with sac
- Usually lateral to the umbilicus (R>L)
- Liver is NEVER found protruding
- Other abnormalities seen in 10-15%
What is the muscular composition of the esophagus?
- Upper third: skeletal muscle
- Middle third: skeletal and smooth muscle mixture
- Lower third: smooth muscle
What is the pathophysiology of achalasia?
Failure of relaxation of LES due to the loss of Auerbach’s/myenteric plexus >>
UNCOORDINATED PERISTALSIS
How does achalasia present?
Dysphagia of BOTH solids and liquids
What is the characteristic sign for achalasia on barium swallow?
“Bird’s beak appearance”: dilated distal esophagus with an area of distal stenosis
What disease can achalasia be secondary to?
Chagas disease
(Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi)
What are the features of Chagas disease?
- Cardiomegaly
- Mega-esophagus
What is CREST syndrome?
CREST
- Calcinosis
- Raynaud’s phenomenon
- Esophageal dysmotility: low pressure proximal to LES
- Sclerodactyly
- Telangiectasia
What are the presenting features of esophageal variceal bleeding?
- Hematemesis
- Associated with:
>> Portal hypertension
>> Caput medusa
>> Ascites
>> Alcoholic cirrhosis
What is Boerhaave syndrome?
Transmural rupture of the esophagus caused by severe retching >> SURGICAL EMERGENCY
Made lead to left pneumothorax
What is Mallory-Weiss syndrome?
Laceration of gastroesophageal junction caused by retching; less serious than Boerhaave syndrome
In what patient population is Mallory-Weiss syndrome more common?
- Alcoholics
- Bulimics
What are the presenting symptoms of GERD?
- Heartburn
- Regurgitation upon lying down
What are some associated symptoms with GERD?
- Nocturnal cough and dyspnea
- Adult-onset asthma
What is the treatment for GERD?
- H2R blockers
- Proton pump inhibitors
What condition is chronic GERD associated with?
Barrett esophagus
What is Barrett esophagus?
Metaplasia in the cells of the lower esophagus (squamous epithelium >> columnar epithelium and goblet cells)
What disease is Barrett esophagus associated wtih?
>> GERD
>> Esophageal adenocarcinoma
What is a hiatal hernia?
When the stomach herniates upward into the thorax through the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm
What are the two types of hiatal hernias? Which one is more common?
- Sliding hiatal hernia
>> More common
>> GE junction is displaced upwards into the thorax
>> GEJ “slides” up to the thorax
>> “Hour-glass” stomach - Paraesophageal/Rolling hiatal hernia
>> GE junction remains at its original position
>> Fundus is displaced upwards into the thorax
>> Fundus ends up lying next to the GEJ
What are the presenting features of Plummer-Vinson syndrome?
Presentation triad
- Dysphagia due to esophageal webs
- Iron deficiency
- Glossitis
Name the esophageal pathology.
Specialized columnar epithelium seen in a biopsy from distal esophagus
Barrett’s esophagus
Name the esophageal pathology.
Biopsy of a patient with esophagitis reveals large pink intranucelar inclusions and host cell chromatin that is pushed to the edge of the nucleus
HSV esophagitis
Name the esophageal pathology.
Biopsy of a patient with esophagitis reveals enlarged cells, intranuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions and a clear perinuclear halo
CMV esophagitis
Name the esophageal lesion.
An esophageal biopsy reveals a lack of ganglion cells between the inner and outer muscular layers
Achalasia
Name the esophageal lesion.
Protrusion of the mucosa in the upper esophagus
Plummer-Vinson Syndrome (esophageal webs)
Name the esophageal pathology.
Outpouching of all layers of the esophagus found just above the LES
Epiphrenic diverticulum
Name the esophageal pathology.
Goblet cells seen in the distal esophagus
Barrett’s esophagus
Name the esophageal pathology.
A PAS stain on a biopsy obtained from a patient wtih esophagitis reveals hyphate organism
Candida esophagitis
Name the esophageal pathology.
Esophageal pouch found in the upper esophagus
Zenker diverticulum
What are the risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma?
- GERD
- Barrett esophagus
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Nitrosamines
What is the most common esophageal cancer worldwide?
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
What is the most common esophageal cancer in the US?
Esophgeal adenocarcinoma
What are the risk factors for esophageal cancer?
AABCDEFFGH
- Achalasia
- Alcohol
- Barrett’s esophagus
- Cigarettes
- Diverticula
- Esophageal webs
- Fat (Obesity)
- Familial
- GERD
- Hot liquids
What structures does the celiac trunk supply?
- Pharynx to the proximal duodenum
- Liver
- Gallbladder
- Pancreas
- Spleen (not derived from the foregut, a mesodermal structure)
What structures does the superior mesenteric artery supply?
Distal duodenum to the proximal 2/3rds of the transverse colon
What structures does the inferior mesenteric artery supply?
Distal 1/3rd of the transverse colon to the upper portion of the rectum
What are the main branches of the abdominal aorta in sequence from high to low?
>> Inferior phrenic artery
>> Suprarenal arteries
>> Median sacral artery
- Celiac trunk
- Superior mesenteric artery
- Left and right renal arteries
- Left and right gonadal arteries
- Inferior mesenteric artery
What are the three main branches of the celiac trunk?
- Common hepatic artery
- Splenic artery
- Left gastric artery
What are the three branches of the common hepatic artery?
- Hepatic artery proper
- Gastroduodenal artery
- Right gastric artery
What are the branches of the gastroduodenal artery?
- Right gastroepiloic artery/right gastro-omental artery
- Anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery
What are the branches of the splenic artery?
- Splenic artery continues to the spleen
- Short gastric arteries
- Left gastroepiploic artery/left gastro-omental artery
Name the four sites of important collateral circulatory arterial anastomoses in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Superior epigastric (internal thoracic artery) and inferior epigastric (external iliac)
- Superior pancreaticoduodenal (celiac trunk) and inferior pancreaticoduodenal (superior mesenteric artery)
- Middle colic (superior mesenteric artery) and left colic (inferior mesenteric artery)
- Superior rectal (inferior mesenteric artery) and inferior rectal (internal iliac)
What are the sites of anatomoses in the gastric circulation?
- Left gastroepiploic artery (splenic artery) and right gastroepiploic artery (gastroduodenal/common hepatic artery)
- Left gastric artery and right gastric artery (common hepatic artery)
What are the cells found in the stomach?
- Parietal cells
>> Hydrochloric acid
>> Intrinsic factor - Chief cells
>> Pepsinogen - Mucosal cells
>> Mucin
>> Bicarbonate - G cells
>> Gastrin
What are the effects of gastrin?
- Stimulates acid secretion
- Stimulates growth of the gastric mucosa
- Stimulates gastric motility
What stimulates gastrin secretion?
- Phenylalanine
- Tryptophan
- Calcium
How does gastrin promote acid secretion?
- Direct stimulation of the parietal cells
- Primary action: stimulates enterochromaffin-like cells (ECL cells), which then stimulates the parietal cells to secrete acid by releasing histamine
What stimulates gastric acid secretion?
- Acetylcholine (M3R by vagus nerve)
- Histamine (mainly by enterochromaffin-like cells/ECL cells)
- Gastrin (by G-cells in the antrum)
What inhibits gastric acid secretion?
- Somatostatin
- GIP (gastric inhibitory polypeptide)
- Secretin
- Prostaglandins
What stimulates bicarbonate secretion?
Secretin
Prostaglandins
(Mainly induces mucin secretion, also increases bicarbonate secretion)
(Pancreatic and biliary secretion)
What cells in the body secretes HCO3-?
- Mucosal cells in the stomach
- Brunnner glands in the duodenum
- Pancreatic ductal cells
- Salivary glands
What is Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome?
Gastrin-secreting tumour (gastrinoma) in the duodenum or pancreas
How does Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome present?
- Recurrent duodenal (and jejunal ulcers)
- Due to acid hypersecretion
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea (malabsorption)
>> May be associated with MEN-1
What receptors found on gastric parietal cells regulate acid secretion?
- M3 ACh receptors
- H2 receptors
- CCKB receptors (for gastrin)
- Prostaglandin/misoprostal receptors
- Somatostatin receptors
What is the treatment for Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome?
- Proton pump inhibitors
- Octreotide if octreotide receptors are present on the gastrinoma
What happens to serum pH at the time of gastric acid secretion?
Increases
What are the risks for malignancy in leukoplakia and erythroplakia?
- Leukoplakia = 30% rate of progression to oral cancer
- Erythroplakia = 60% rate of progression to oral cancer
>> Remember these lesions do NOT wipe off
>> Both are due to squamous hyperplasia of the epidermis
What are the possible causes of leuko/erythroplakia (i.e. what are the risk factors for oral cancer)?
- Chronic irritation (e.g. dentures)
- Smoking
- Alcohol abuse
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
What is the histological appearance of Warthin’s tumour?
Cystic glandular structures with hetertrophic salivary tissue trapped within benign lymphoid tissue
What are the possible causes of dysphagia for solids AND liquids?
- Oropharyngeal dysphagia: striated muscle dysmotility
>> Dermatomyositis
>> Myasthenia gravis
>> Stroke - Lower esophageal dysphagia: smooth muscle dysmotility
>> Systemic sclerosis
>> CREST syndrome
>> Achalasia
What is the VATER syndrome?
- Vertebral abnormalities
- Anal atresia
- Tracheoesophageal fistula
- Renal disease
- Absent Radius
What are the conditions associated with hiatal hernia?
- Sigmoid diverticulosis
- Esophagitis
- Duodenal ulcers
- Gallstones