General Surgery Flashcards
When is surgery done for pts with reflux?
- Maybe indicated in pts w/ long-standing disease not responding to medical mgmt
- Necessary in anyone who has developed complications: ulceration, stenosis ( laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication)
- Imperative in if there are severe dysplastic changes (resection)
Indicated tests in pt with chronic Gastric reflux/Barret’s esophagus:
Endoscopy + biopsies
Diagnosis of esophageal motility problems?
- Barium swallow–> no structural problem? –> Manometry
Treatment for achalasia?
Balloon dilation, surgical myotomy, botox
which esophageal cancer is more common in blacks, smokers, and drinkers?
Squamous cell carcinoma
Which esophagel caner is seen in people with long Hx of reflux?
Adenocarcinoma
Workup for dysphagia?
Barium swallow, manometry, endoscopy with biopsies, and CT (only to assess operability)
Treatment of mallory weiss tears
Many times resolves on its own….otherwise –> Photocoagulation (laser) via endoscopy
What is Boerhaave syndrome and what are its manifestations?
Esophageal perforation caused by increased pressures from prolonged, forceful vomiting.
- Severe, continuous sudden onset epigastric/low sternal pain –> fever soon after –> incr WBC –> very sick looking pt.
Diagnosis of Boerhaave syndrome?
Contrast swallow (gastrogafin 1st --> then barium if negative) -Emergency repair should follow diagnosis
What is the most common cause of esophageal perforation?
Instrumentation (endoscopy)
-May have emphysema in the lower neck
Presentation and treatment for Gastric adenocarcinoma:
Presentation:
-elderly, anorexia, weight loss, early satiety, vague epigastric tenderness, occassionally hematemesis. Dx with endoscopy w/ biopsies
Treatment:
- Surgery
Therapy for Gastric lymphoma?
- Chemo + radiation
surgery only done if perforation is feared as tumor melts away
Which GI tumor can be reversed by eradication of H-Pylori?
MALTOMA (low-grade lymphomatoid transformation
Presentation of Small bowel obstruction
- colicky abd pain,
- protracted vomiting,
- progressive abd distention
- no passage of gas or feces
- Early on –> high pitched bowel sounds coinciding with pain…..Later –> absent sounds
Small bowel obstruction management
Starts with:
-NPO, NG suction, IV fluids –> hope for resolution while watching for early signs of strangulation
Conservative mgmt failed?:
-Surgery within 24 hrs if complete obstruction, few days if partial obstruction
Which cases of SBO ALWAYS require surgery?
Hernia-related SBO
What are signs of strangulation in pt with a SBO?
- fever
- incr WBC
- constant pain
- signs of peritoneal irritation
- ultimately –> full-blown peritonitis and sepsis
Incarcerated hernia
Hernia that can’t be reduced –> can cause strangulation requiring surgery. On exam will be non-reducible hernia that used to be reducible
Manifestations of Carcinoid syndrome (episodic)
- diarrhea
- Flushing of the face
- Wheezing
- R sided heart valve damage (look for JVD)
- *May have small bowel carcinoid tumor with mets to the liver
How do you diagnose Carcinoid syndrome?
24 hr urinary 5-HIAA (5hydroxyindole aceti cacid)
-one time level not helpful bc levels fluctuate along with “attacks/episodes”
What is the classic picture of acute appendicitis? (progression)
Anorexia –> vague periumbilical pain –> several hrs later –> Sharp, severe, constant, localized pain in RLQ with rebound and guarding
-Modest fever and WBCs in 10-15 range
Cancer of the right colon presentation:
Iron def. anemia in elderly patient for no apparent reason.
-Stools will be +4 for occult blood
Treatment for R colon cancer
Hemicolectomy
Presentation of L colon cancer:
Bloody stools (coats the outside), constipation, change in stool shape (narrow)
Dx of L colon cancer?
Flexible proctosigmoidoscopy and biopsies.
Large rectal cancers, therapy = ?
Pre-op chemo + radiation
Colonic polyps in descending order of malignant potential = ?
- Familial adenomatous polyposis
- Familial multiple inflammatory polyps
- villous adenoma
- adenomatous polyp
Non pre-malignant polyps include ________
- Juvenile
- Peutz-jeghers
- isolated inflammatory
- hyperplastic
When is surgery indicated in ulcerative colitis?
- disease present for > 20 years (high malignant potential)
- Severe interference with nutrition
- multiple hospitalizations
- need for high dose steroids or immunosuppressants
- Toxic megacolon
What organism causes psudomembranous colitis?
C-diff
- most commonly caused by cephalosporins, but any Antibiotic can potentially cause it.
Treatment of C-diff colitis?
- Metronidazole
- Oral Vancomycin is an alternative
When would emergency colectomy be indicated in a pt w/ c-diff ?
- unresponsive to tx
- WBC > 50k
- Lactte > 5
Hemorrhoids bleed when they are _______, and hurt when they are ______.
- internal
- external
*internals can cause itching and pain if they become prolapsed.
Diagnosis in a woman (more commonly) with severe pain with defacation, blood streaks in stool, who avoids going #2 as much as possible?
Anal fissure
Therapy for anal fissure:
- stool softeners
- topical nitroglycerin
- Ca channel blocker ointments TID (80-90% success rate)
- botox injections
- dilation
- failed –> lateral sphincterotomy
What sould you suspect in a patient with a fissure, fistula, or small ulceration…..in which surgical interventions WORSEN the problem?
Crohn’s disease
-Area typically heals excellently bc of good vascular supply
fistula should be drained with stetons while medical therapy is underway. Remicade helps healing
What is the presentation and management of an Ischio-rectal abcess?
Presentation:
- febrile, exquisite perirectal pain, can’t sit down or have bowel movements due to intense pain, Abcess lateral to anus between anus and ischial tuberosity.
Management:
- Incision and drainage
- rule out cancer
- watch very closely in diabetic bc may turn into necrotizing infection (fournier’s gangrene)
What is a potential complication of draining a ischiorectal abcess?
Fistula-in-ano
- epithelial migration of anal crypts
- forms opening lateral to the anus
- rule out necrosis or tumor
What is the most common cancer of the anus? more common in HIV+ and homosexuals with receptive practices.
Squamous cell carcinoma
What is the clinical picture seen with SCC of the anus? How is it diagnosed?
Fungating mass grows out of the anus. Metastatic inguinal lymph nodes might be felt
What is the treatment for SCC of the anus?
- starts with Nigro chemoradiation (5FU + mitomycin) protocol
- Surgery only if there is residual tumor (rarely required)
3/4 of GI bleeding is from ______
Upper GI tract (tip of nose to ligament of treitz)
What are possible bleeding sources in the colon?
- Diverticulosis
- polyps
- angiodysplasia
- cancer
*All are more common in older people, so GI bleeding in a young person is usually upper GI source
Vomiting blood and/or melena…what test to do?
endoscopy (but obviously look for sources in mouth and nose first)
in a patient with Bright red blood per rectum, where can it be coming from?
Anywhere. lower GI or upper gi that passed too quickly to be digested
What is the first step in diagnosis in a patient with active bleeding per rectum?
NG tube
- blood = upper GI source established
- no blood and no bile = nose to pylorus cleared, possibly still duodenal source
- no blood and bile = upper GI cleared –> no need for endoscopy
Workup for active GI bleeding after upper GI source has been ruled out is:
- first rule out hemorrhoids with anoscopy
- if bleeding >1 unit every 4 hrs (2 mL/min) –> angiogram with possible embolization
- bleeding less than 0.5 mL/min –> wait till it stops, then colonoscopy
- Cases in between = tagged RBC study
What is the workup for a Patient with recent history of bleeding per rectum, without currently active bleeding?
young = upper endoscopy old = both upper and lower endoscopy in same session
What is the usual cause of BRBPR in a child?
Meckel diverticulum
- ectopic gastric mucosa
- workup with Technetium scan
What is the best therapeutic option for massive GI bleed from stress ulcer?
Angiographic embolization
What is the presentation of acute abdomen caused by perforation?
sudden onset, constant, generalized, severe. Patient is reluctant to move, and very protective of their abdomen (guarding), rebound.
What is the most common cause of Acute abdominal pain from perforation?
perforated peptic ulcer
What confirms the diagnosis of perforation on imaging?
Free air under diaphragm
What is the presentation in acute abd pain caused by obstruction?
Sudden onset colicky pain with radiation. Patient consatntly moves, trying to fnd comfortable position. Few physical findings.
Presentation of acute abd pain caused by inflammatory process?
-Gradual onset and slow buildup (hours at least). constant, starts as ill-defined, eventually locates to area of the problem. Often has radiation patterns.
- Physical findings of peritoneal irritation
- Fever and incr WBC (except for in pancreatitis)
What is the only process that presents with severe abdominal pain and blood in the lumen of the gut?
Ischemic process
What is the difference between primary peritonitis and other causes of acute abdomen (as far as organisms causing it).
- Primary peritonitis will have ascitic cultures with a single organism.
- treat with antibiotics - Other causes - multiorganism
What is the treatment for a generalized acute abdomen?
exploratory laparotomy
-does not need specific diagnosis for exploration
What is the ranson criteria used for? what are it’s components?
-Used for assessing severity of pancreatitis, both initially and at 48 hrs after presentation
Components: intial…GLAAW
- Glucose > 200
- LDH > 350
- Age > 55
- AST > 250
- WBC > 16k
48 hrs assessment: C HOBBS
- Ca 10%
- O2 4
- Sequestration of fluids >6L
What do you suspect in someone with flank pain radiating to scrotum/labia? how would you diagnose it?
Ureteral stones
-CT
What is the diagnostic test for suspected diverticulitis?
CT abdomen
Treatment for diverticulitis
- NPO, IV fluids, Antibiotics
- surgery if does not respond or if multiple recurrences
Presentation for volvulus of the sigmoid?
- signs of obstruction
- severe abdominal distension
Radiographic findings in volvulus of sigmoid?
Xrays are diagnostic:
- air-fluid levels in small bowel
- very distended colon
- huge air-filled loop in the RUQ that tapers down toward the LLQ in “parrots’s beak” shape
Management of volvulus of the sigmoid?
- Proctosigmoidoscopic exam
- rectal tube left in
- Recurrent cases need elective sigmoid resection
What do you suspect in an elderly patient who develops an acute abdomen in the setting of A-fib or recent MI?
Mesenteric ischemia
- Clot occludes SMA
- blood in bowel lumen
What is the blood marker for hepatocellular carcinoma?
AFP
-do CT scan for location and extent of tumor
Management of liver mets
- If primary tumor is slow growing and mets are confined to one lobe –> resection can be done
- Other means of control include radioablation