General surgery Flashcards
What features are ~ pathognomic for rectal cancer?
Tenesmus and urgency and feeling of incomplete evacuation
What are the pathological stages of developing colorectal adenocarcinoma?
Normal colon acquires defect leading to hyperproliferation of epithelium
Methylation or the APC gene causes this to develop into an adenoma/polyp
Deletion of k-ras or p53 causes this to develop into a carcinoma
Explain the dukes’ criteria?
Extent of colorectal cancer and relates to prognosis.
A = tumour within the muscular wall. Does not excees the muscularis propria
B = tumour is through the muscular wall
C = lymph node involvement (C2 = >3 nodes)
D = distant metastases
How is colorectal cancer managed?
Surgical resection with temporary defunctioning stoma
Chemotherapy post-op in stage C and above
What is the blood supply to the foregut?
Coeliac trunk
What is the blood supply to the midgut?
Superior mesenteric artery
What is the blood supply to the hundgut?
Inferior mesenteric artery
Which area of the bowel is most vulnerable to ischaemia?
Splenic flexure as is between the blood supplies of mid and hindgut
What is the main cause of bowel ischaemia?
Arterial thromboembolism
Give three risk factors for bowel ischaemia
Atrial fibrillation Increasing age Smoking Hypertension Diabetes Cocaine use
What is the difference between acute and chronic bowel ischaemia?
Acute involves sudden onset abdominal pain and requires emergency laparotomy and resection
Chronic is long-term post-prandial abdominal pain managed conservatively
What blood abnormalities are found in acute bowel ischaemia?
Leukocytosis
Raised amylase
Metabolic acidosis
What are the features of ischaemic colitis?
Arteriopathic patient
Abdominal pain (unrelated to food)
Diarrhoea
Rectal bleeding
How is ischaemic colitis managed?
Resuscitation
Early nutritional support
What are the three main complications of an acute hepatitis B infection?
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Cirrhosis
Chronic hepatitis
What are the main phases of infection with hepatitis B?
Initial phase is replicative with little liver damage and relatively normal LFTS
Second phase is inflammatory as CD8 cytotoxic cells are involved, with raised liver enzymes. Some people progress to chronic hepatitis at this point.
Some people enter the inactive phase where viral replication stops and liver enzymes normalise with no ongoing inflammation
Give 5 risk factors for developing hepatitis B
Promiscuous sexual activity Men who have sex with men Sharing drug paraphernalia Received blood transfusions or transplantation Healthcare occupation Tattoos, body piercing and acupuncture Sharing toiletry items Infants born to infected mothers Travel to high risk areas Sex workers Chronic renal failure Chronic liver disease Prison inmates and staff Hajj pilgrims
GIve three factors that increase your risk of developing chronic Hep B from an acute infection
Newborn child
Less severe acute disease
Immunocompromise
How is hepatitis B managed?
Symptoms relief Notify health protection unit Peg interferon alpha Screen for HCC test for Hep C and HIV
What is the post-exposure prophylaxis for Hep B?
Hep B immunisation at 0,1, and 6 months + immunoglobulin
Roughly how many people infected with Hep C develop a chronic infection?
Around 80%
Give 3 extra-hepatic manifestations of hepatitis
Thyroiditis Porphyria Thrombocytopenia Lichen planus Diabetes mellitus B cell lymphoproliferative disease
How is Hep C diagnosed?
Positive anti-HCV on two separate occasions, 6 months apart
Raised HCV RNA indicates active infection
How is hepatitis C managed pharmacologically?
Peg interferon alpha weekly
Daily ribavirin
Protease inhibitor