GI Flashcards
What is Oesophagitis?
inflammation of the inner lining of oesophagus
What is the most common cause of Oesophagitis?
GORD
What are the symptoms of Oesophagitis?
- Heartburn
- N + V
- Dysphagia
- Painful swallowing (w/o red flags)
- symptoms resolve spontaneously
How to investigate Oesophagitis?
OGD - investigate severity
Barium swallow - r/o malignancy
What is Mallory Weiss Tear?
- Tear along the right border or near the gastro-oesophageal junction
What commonly causes Mallory Weiss Tear?
- Forceful bout of retching , vomitting, coughing,straining or even hicupping
What are the symptoms of Mallory Weiss Tear?
- Haematemesis
- Dizziness
- abdo pain
- dysphagia
- Melaena (RARE)
(no systemic symptoms)
How to investigate Mallory Weiss Tear?
- OGD: visualise tear
What are the most common types of Oesophageal Cancer?
Identify their location.
- Squamous Cell Cancer
- Upper 2/3 of oesophagus - Adenocarcinoma
- Lower 1/3 near gastro-oesophageal junction
What are some of the risk factors for adenocarcinoma (Oesophageal Cancer)?
- GORD
- Barrett’s oesophagus
- Obesity
If alcohol caused Oesophageal Cancer, what would the blood findings be?
- Increased GGT
- Macrocytosis
What are the symptoms of Oesophageal Cancer?
- Dysphagia
- anorexia + weight loss
- Vomiting
Other:
- Pain on swallowing
- Hoarseness
- acid reflux
- Melaena
What investigation is use for diagnosis of Oesophageal Cancer?
Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy
How is Oesophageal Cancer staged?
- CT scan : if metastatic
2. Endoscopic USS: no metastases, local staging
When does a patient warrant an urgent endoscopy (2WW) for Oesophageal Cancer?
- Dysphagia
2. 55 year + upper abdo pain, reflux, dyspepsia
What is Oesophageal Stricture?
Narrowing of the food pipe
What causes Oesophageal Stricture?
- Scarring from acid reflux in persisitent GORD/
- carcinoma of oesophagus
Whata are the symptoms of Oesophageal Stricture?
- Dysphagia
- Heartburn
- Weight loss
- Chest pain
What signs can present with malignant Oesophageal Stricture?
- Lympadenopathy
What investigations can be carried out for Oesophageal Stricture?
- CXR
- Endoscopy
- Barium swallow
- CT or endoscopic USS
What is Oesophageal Varices?
- Dilated collateral blood vessels that develop as a complication of portal hypertension
What causes Oesophageal Varices?
- Anything condition that causes portal hypertension
- Can be split into 2 categories:
- Pre-hepatic:
- Portal vein thrombosis
- Portal vein obstruction - Intra-hepatic:
- Cirrhosis
- Acute hepatitis
- Idiopathic portal hypertension - Post- hepatic:
- compression (tumour)
What are the symptoms of Oesophageal Varices?
- Haematemesis
- Melaena
- Abdo pain
- Dyshpagia /pain on swallowing
- Ascites
- Jaundice
What are signs of Oesophageal Varices?
- Spider naevi
- Caput medusa
- signs of chronic liver disease
- Hypotension
- Pallor
- Tachycardia
- Reduced GCS
How to investigate Oesophageal Varices?
- Diagnostic: endoscopy
- Bloods: Hb (low), platelets (low)
What is Achalasia?
- Failure of oesophageal peristalsis and of relaxation of the LOS
What are the symptoms of Achalasia?
- Dysphagia (BOTH liquid + solid)
- gradual weight loss
- heart burn
- regurgitation of food
- -> may lead to cough, aspiration pneumonia
What is the diagnostic investigation for Achalasia?
Oesophageal manometry
- assess motor function
What are other investigation carried out for Achalasia?
- Barium swallow :
- ‘bird’s beak’ appearance - CXR:
- wide mediastinum
What is GORD?
Reflux of gastric contents back into the oesophagus
What are the symptoms of GORD?
- Heartburn worse after meal or supine
What is the investigations for GORD?
- Hx is enough for diagnosis
What is gastritis?
histological presence of gastric mucosal inflammation
Most common cause of gastritis
Helicobacter pylori
Other:
- NSAIDs
What are the symptoms of gastritis?
- epigastric pain
- N + V
- Dyspepsia
- Fever
- loss of appetite
Signs of gastritis
- Epigastric tenderness
- glossitis
- halitosis
Investigations for gastritis
H.Pylori:
- Urea breath test
- faecal antigen histology
- rapid urease test
- Gastric muscosal histology
What is peptic ulcer disease?
A breach in the epithelium of the gastric or duodenal mucosa that penetrates the muscularis mucosa
What are the main causes of peptic ulcer disease?
- H.pylori
2. Long-term NSAID use
What are the types of peptic ulcer disease and their symptoms?
Gastric ulcer:
- pain increases while eating
- weight loss
Duodenal ulcer:
- pain is eased by eating
- weight gain
General:
- epigastric pain
- nausea
- chest discomfort
If a patient has acute upper abdo pain, what investigation must be carried out?
Erect x-ray
What would you see in an x-ray when some one has perforated ulcer?
CXR: free air under diaphragm
What investigation should be carried out for peptic ulcer disease?
- H.pylori test
- Upper endoscopy
What are the symptoms of gastric cancer?
- dysphagia
- pain
- acid reflux
- loss of appetite + weight loss
- anaemia
How to investigate gastric cancer?
- Diagnosis: Endoscopy + biopsy
- Staging : CT
- Bloods: anaemia
What are the red flag signs for stomach cancer?
- Abdo mass
- rebound tenderness with rigid abdomen
- absent bowel sounds
- acute pain + vomiting
- ecchymosis of flanks + abdo
What is the referral requirement for 2WW stomach cancer?
- upper abdo mass
What is the referral requirement for 2WW UGI endoscopy?
- dysphagia
2. > 55 + upper abdo pain, reflux, dyspepsia
What is pyloric stenosis?
- Pylorus of the stomach is stenosed
- does not allow the passage of food
What are the symptoms of pyloric stenosis?
- projectile vomiting* - typically 30 mins after feed
- constipation
- dehydration
- palpable mass (upper abdo)
What are the signs of pyloric stenosis?
- poor weight gain
- hypokalaemic alkalosis
What investigation is diagnostic pyloric stenosis?
USS
What is Cholelithiasis?
A gallstone
- solid deposit that forms within the bladder
What are the risk factors for gallstones?
5 F’s
- Female
- Fat
- Fair
- Fertile
- Forty
What are the classic symptoms for Cholelithiasis?
- Colicky RUQ pain - post prandially
- –> worse after fatty meal
- N + V
What is the diagnostic work up in suspected Cholelithiasis??
USS + LFT
What is acute cholecystitis?
- inflammation of the gallbladder
What are the signs for acute cholecystitis?
- RUQ pain:
- radiate to right shoulder
- sudden onset - Fevers (systemic)
- Possible jaundice
What are the signs for acute cholecystitis?
- Murphy’s sign : inspiratory arrest upon palpation of RUQ
What blood test findings may you have with acute cholecystitis?
- LFTs typically normal
What is the first investigation for acute cholecystitis?
Abdo USS
What is chronic cholecystitis?
- repeated attacks of biliary colic + permanent damage to the gallbladder
- gallbladder healing by fibrosis + shrinks in size
What are symptoms of chronic cholecystitis?
- RUQ pain after meals
- fat intolerance
What investigative findings will you have for chronic cholecystitis?
AXR : porcelain gallbladder
Which finding on biopsy would be most consistent with a diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma?
signet ring cells
What are the causes of acute pancreatitis?
* GET SMASHED * Gallstones Ethanol Trauma Steroids Mumps Autoimmune Scorpion venom Hypercholesterolaemia ERCP Drugs
What are the symptoms of acute pancreatitis?
- Severe epigastric pain (radiate to back)
- vomiting
- low-grade fever
- sudden onset + short duration
What are the signs of acute pancreatitis?
- Epigastric tenderness
- low-grade fever
- Peri-umbilical discoloration (cullen’s sign)
- Flank discolouration (grey-turner’s sign)
How can you make diagnosis of acute pancreatitis be made without imaging?
If characteristic pain + amylase /lipase > 3 time upper limit of normal
What imaging is used in acute pancreatitis?
USS
Other : contrast - CT
What scoring systems may be used to identify severe pancreatitis?
- Ranson score
- Glasgow score
- APACHE II
What are the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis?
- pain : following meal
- steatorrhea
What are the investigations for chronic pancreatitis?
- Abdominal x-ray: pancreatic calcification
- CT : more sensitive to calcification
What is the most common type of pancreatic tumour?
Adenocarcinoma
What is the classic symptom of pancreatic cancer?
- Painless Jaundice *
What are the other symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer?
- Pale stools
- Dark urine
- Pruritus
Non-specific:
- anorexia
- weight loss
- epigastric pain
What is the diagnostic investigation for Pancreatic Cancer?
High-resolution CT scan
- definitve diagnosis require biopsy
- ‘double duct’ sign
Other:
USS
What is hepatitis?
Virus that infects the liver causing inflammation
USE NOTES (DEARSIM)
When does heptatitis become chronic?
If virus persists past 6 months
What are the symptoms of hepatitis?
- Fever
- RUQ pain
- Jaundice
- Dark urine
What are the signs of hepatitis?
- Rise in ALT + AST
- Hepatomegaly
What are the different components of hepatitis serology?
- HBsAg = surface antigen
- acute disease - Anti-HBs = implies immunity
- Anti-HBc = previous or current infection
- IgM anti-HBc = during acute or recent hep B infection
What is liver cirrhosis?
Scarring of the liver caused by long-term liver damage
What are the common causes of Liver Cirrhosis?
- Alcohol
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
- Viral Hepatitis
What are symptoms of Liver Cirrhosis?
Severe:
- jaundice
- abnormal bruising
- peripheral oedema
- ascites
High-Risk group:
- fatigue
- anorexia
- nausea
- weight loss
- muscle wasting
- abdo pain
What investigations are carried out for Liver Cirrhosis?
- Transient Elastography
- Traditionally : Liver biopsy
- NAFLD : use enhanced liver fibrosis score to screen for further testing
What further investigations can be carried out for Liver Cirrhosis?
- Upper endoscopy : check for varices
- Liver USS: hepatocellular cancer
What are the most common Liver Tumours?
- Cholangiocarcinoma
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
What are the symptoms of Liver Tumours?
- Weight loss
- Jaundice
- Altered mental status
- itching
- pale stools + dark urine
- easy bruising
- Distended abdomen
What investigations are used for diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma?
- CT/MRI (usually both)
* Avoid biopsy - seeds tumours cells*
What is the prognosis of Liver Tumours?
Poor
What investigations are used for diagnosis of Cholangiocarcinoma?
- LFT : obstructive picture
- CA 19-9, CEA + CA 123 elevated
- CT/MRI + MRCP
What score is used after endoscopy to asses rebleed and mortality ?
Rockall
What are the different types of hernia?
- Hiatus
- Icisional
- Inguinal
- Umbilical
- Ventral
What are the symptoms of hiatus hernia?
- Heartburn
- GORD
- Difficulty swallowing
What investigations can be carried out for hiatus hernia?
- Endoscopy
- Barium studies
What are the 2 types of inguinal hernia?
- Indirect = hernia through the inguinal canal
2. Direct hernia = through the posterior wall of the inguinal canal
What are the symptoms of inguinal hernia?
- groin lump
- -> disappear when lying down
- -> cough impulse
- discomfort + ache
- -> worse with activity
What is peritonitis?
- infection of ascitic fluid
What can cause peritonitis?
- perforated ulcer
- cirrhosis
- PID
What are the symptoms of peritonitis?
- Ascites
- Abdo pain
- Fever
- N + V
- Diarrhoea
What is the diagnostic test for peritonitis?
Paracentesis:
–> Ascitic Fluid : neutrophil count > 250 cells/mm3
What are the clinical features of acute upper GI bleed?
- Haematemesis
- Melena
- Abdo pain
- Raised Urea
What is intra-abdominal abscess?
- a collection of pus or infected fluid that is surrounded by inflamed tissue inside the belly
What are the symptoms of intra-abdominal abscess?
- Fever
- Change in bowel habits
- N + V
What investigations are carried out for intra-abdominal abscess?
- Abdo CT
- WBC count
What is constipation and faecal loading?
Constipation = infrequent stools, straining
Faecal Loading = retention of faeces to the extent that spontaenoes evacuation is unlikely
What symptoms indicate constipation?
- Bowel movement < 3 times/week
- Excessive straining
- Lowe abdo pain, distension, bloating
What are some non-specific symptoms associated with constipation in elderly?
- Confusion or delirium, functional decline
- Nausea or loss of appetite
- overflow diarrhoea
- urinary retention
When do you suspect faecal loading?
- hard, lumpy stools : large + infrequent
- Manual method of extraction
- overflow faecal incontinence or loose stool
What examination do you carry out in constipation?
PR exam
What AXR finding would you have in constipation?
Sitzmarks
What symptoms are required for a diagnosis of IBS?
- Abdo pain +/-
- Bloating +/-
- Change in bowel habit
What are other symptoms associated with IBS?
Positive diagnosis of IBS if:
abdo pain is relieved by defaction
or
altered bowel frequency stool form
+
2 of:
- altered stool passage : straining, urgency, incomplete evacuation
- abdo bloating, distension, tension or hardness
- symptoms worse by eating
- passage of mucus
What investigations should be carried in primary care for IBS?
FBC
ESR/CRP
Coeliac disease screen
What dietary advice would give for IBS?
- regular meals
- avoid missing meals or leaving long gaps between eating
- drink at least 8 cups of fluid per day
- reduce intake of alcohol and fizzy drinks
- limiting intake of high-fibre food
- limit fresh fruit to 3 portions per day
- for diarrhoea, avoid sorbitol
What is the definition of diarrhoea?
Passage of 3 or more loose stools per day
What are the different classifications of diarrhoea?
- Acute diarrhoea < 14 days
- Persistent diarrhoea > 14 days
- Chronic diarrhoea > 4 weeks
What are the different causes of diarrhoea?
Bacterial:
- salmonella
- campylobacter jejuni
- shigella
- E.coli
Drugs:
- laxatives
- allopurinol
- ARB
- Abx
- Chemo
- NSAID
- PPI
- SSRI
What investigation is carried for infectious diarrhoea?
- Stool sample
When should a pt be admitted with diarrhoea?
- Vomiting + unable to retain oral fluids
- sever dehydration or shock
When should a pt be referred for diarrhoea?
> 40 y/o + :
- Weight loss
- Abdo pain
> 50 y/o + rectal bleeding
> 60 y/o iron deficiency anaemia
What medication can be used for diarhoea?
- Loperamide
What medications can affect can affect urea breath test?
- Abx : within 4 weeks of test
- PPI : within 2 weeks of test
When do you offer prophylactic abx in peritonitis?
What abx?
- Cirrhosis + ascites
- -> until ascites has resolved
Oral ciprofloxacin
Which type of H.Pylori test is used to check eradication?
Urea breath test
What is the strongest risk factor for Barrett’s Oesophagus?
GORD
What is diverticular disease?
Diverticula causes symptoms (intermittent lower abdo pain) without inflammation or infection
What are the symptoms of diverticulitis?
- left iliac fossa pain + tenderness
- bloating
- anorexia
- diarhoea or constipation
Infection:
- pyrexia
- raised WBC + CRP
What investigations can be carried out for diverticulitis?
- FBC : raised WCC
- Raised CRP
- CT: suspected abscess
- Colonoscopy : initially avoided due to risk of perforation
Which type of H.Pylori test is used to check eradication?
Urea breath test
What is the strongest risk factor for Barrett’s Oesophagus?
GORD
Which side of the lung is aspiration pneumonia more common in?
Right lower lobe
What are the symptoms of appendicitis?
- Periumbilical pain which worsens and migrates to RIF
(24-48 hours) - Pain worse by movement
- Low-grade fever
- Nausea
- Constipation
What are the examination findings for appendicitis?
- Tenderness in the RIL
- -> maximal tenderness over ‘McBurney’s point’
- Rosving’s sign
- Psoas sign
How is appendicitis diagnosed?
Raised inflammatory markers + history + examination findings is enough to justify
What is intussusception?
- Invagination of one portion of bowel into the lumen of adjacent bowel.
What is the most common site for intussusception?
- ileo-caecal region
What are the symptoms of intussusception?
- Paroxysmal abdominal colic pain
- vomiting
- red-currant jelly* (late sign)
- sausage-shaped mass in RUQ
What is the investigation of choice for intussusception?
USS
- target-like mass
What is ischaemic bowel disease?
- Interruption/loss of blood supply to the bowel
What are the symptoms of ischaemic bowel disease?
- Sudden onset abdo pain
- -> reaches peak very quickly
- Melaena
- Diarrhoea
- fever
What is the diagnostic investigation for ischaemic bowel disease?
- CT angio
What blood findings may you see for ischaemic bowel disease?
- Elevated WCC
- Lactic acidosis
What is bowel obstruction?
- Passage of food, fluids and gas becomes blocked
What are the symptoms of bowel obstruction?
- Abdominal pain (diffuse + central)
- N + V (bilious vomiting)
- Constipation (lack of flatulence)
- Abdo distension
What examination findings may you see with bowel obstruction?
- tinkling bowel sounds
What is the 1st line investigation for bowel obstruction?
Abdo X-Ray
- dilated bowel > 3 cm
What is the definitive investigation for bowel obstruction?
CT
What is toxic megacolon?
- Acute form of colonic distension
What are the features of toxic megacolon?
- Segmental
- non-obstructive dilation of the colon > 6 cm diameter
- system toxicity
What are the symptoms of toxic megacolon?
- Abdo pain (diffuse, relieved by bowel movement)
- dairrhoea > 1 week
What investigation is carried out for toxic megacolon?
Abdo x-ray : dilated bowel
What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
2 types:
- Crohn’s
- Ulcerative Colitis
What is Crohn’s?
Chronic inflammatory disease
- Mouth –> anus
What is Ulcerative Colitis?
Relapsing, remitting autoimmune condition
- Rectum + sigmoid colon (proctitis)
- Not beyond ileocaecal valver
What are the symptoms of Crohn’s?
- Diarrhoea
- Weight
- Abdo pain (RLQ)
- Mouth ulcers
What are the symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis?
- Bloody diarrhoea (mucus)
- Abdo pain (LLQ)
- fatigue
- Fever
What are the signs of IBD (both)?
- Erythema nodosum
2. Uveitis
What investigation can distinguish between IBD + IBS?
Faecal calprotectin
elevated in IBD
What are the histological differences in IBD?
Crohn’s
- inflammation in all layers
- increased goblet cells
- granulomas
UC:
- no inflammation beyond submucosa
- decreased goblet cells
- no granulomas
What investigation is carried out for IBD?
Colonoscopy:
Crohn’s :
1. ‘Cobble-stone appearance (skip lesions)
UC:
- biopsy needed for diagnosis
- appearance of polyps (pseudopolyps)
Abdo X-Ray:
UC : lead Pipe radiological appearance
Symptoms of haemarrhoids
- painless rectal bleeding
- feeling like you still need to open bowel after going
- lumps around the anus
What are the 2 types of haemorrhoids?
Internal - originate above the dentate line , do not generally cause pain
External- originate below the dentate line, may be painful as prone to thrombosis
Grading of haemorrhoids
1: do not prolapse out of the anal canal
2: prolapse on defecation but reduce spontaneously
3: can be manually reduced
4: cannot be reduced
What is an anal fissure?
a tear or ulcer in the lining of the anal canal which causes pain on defecation
How can anal fissures be classified?
Acute - <6 weeks
Chronic - >6 weeks
Primary - no underlying cause
Secondary - underlying cause (e.g constipation, STI, IBD, colorectal cancel)
Clinical features of anal fissure
anal pain on defecation (with or without bleeding) and anal spasm
When would you refer in case of anal fissure?
if a serious underlying cause is suspected (rectal cancer or IBD)
When should adults with anal fissure be reviewed?
primary anal fissure - reviewed at 6-8 weeks or sooner if necessary
Sx of Anorectal abscess
painful, hardened tissue in the perianal area
discharge of pus from the rectum
fever
constipation or pain with bowel movements
Caustive bacteria of Anorectal abscess
E.coli, staph aureus
Ix for Anorectal abscess and anal fistula
DRE
What is an Anal fistula
a small tunnel that connects an infected gland inside the anus to an opening on the skin around the anus
What causes an Anal fistula
Usually due to previous ano-rectal abscess
What is pilonidal disease?
sinuses and cysts form near the upper part of the natal cleft of the buttocks
Clinical features of Pilonidal disease
recurrent episodes of natal cleft pain with discharge
Ix for Coeliac disease
1st line = tissue transglutaminase (TTG) antibodies (IgA)
Gold standard/confirm diagnosis = Endoscopic intestinal biopsy