GI Flashcards
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Classify causes of dysphagia (3)
dysphagia - difficulty swallowing
- Obstruction (mechanical block) - luminal, mural, extra-mural
- Motility - local or systemic
- Inflammatory
Causes of dysphagia (2-3 each)
- obstructive
- motility
- inflammatory
Obstructive
- malignancy (oesoph/lung/mets)
- benign stricture (Plummer-Winsen/web)
- pharyngeal pouch (Zenker’s diverticulum)
- hiatus hernia
- Foreign body
Motility
- local - achalasia, MND (pseudobulbar palsy), stroke
- systemic - CREST syndrome, Sjorgren’s
Inflammatory
- oesophagitis (esniophilic, candida)
- tonsillitis
- IBD - apthous ulcers
Other
- globus hystericus (anxiety-related)
- oesophageal spasm
Dysphagia
Both solids and liquids means …
Just solids means…
Motility problem
Obstructive problem
Achalasia - definition, presentation
- A local motility disorder of the oesophagus, rare & often idiopathic.
- Presents with dysphagia, regurgitation, retrosternal pressure
Achalasia - findings from investigation (3) and mngmnt
medical, interventional andn surgical
- Inv - barium swallow (tapering of oesophagus - bird’s beak) OGD (rule out malignancy), manometry (shows reduced peristalsis)
- Mngmnt - CCB/nitrates prior to meal
- or Heller’s cardiomyotomy or BOTOX.
2WW referral guidelines for Upper GI cancer
- Any age with recent onset dysphagia or abdominal mass
- Or >55 with ALARMS symptoms
req 2WW for direct access upper GI endoscopy w/biopsy
ALARMS sx
Anaemia - iron deficiency (check Hb)
Loss of weight
Anorexia
Recent onset of progressive sx
Malaena/haematemesis (chronic GI blood loss)
Swallowing difficulty (dysphagia)
Medication classes causing dyspepsia (5)
- NSAIDs
- CCBs
- Nitrates
- Bisphosphonates
- Oral steroids (e.g. Pred)
Most common causes of dyspepsia (5)
- GORD
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Upper GI malignancy
- Funcitonal dyspepsia
- Gastritis
Gord - initial investigations & further inv (if necessary)
2WW if ALARMS/>55 with dysphagia/mass
Otherwise:
- H.pylori test (stool/urea breath/CLO rapid urease test)
- PPI trial (4 weeks)
Consider
- OGD w/biopsy
- Manometry
- Ambulatory ph monitoring
GORD - management
Conservative, medical, surgical
Conservative - lifestyle advice
Medical - PPI (Omeprazole) 8 weeks
Surgical - laporoscopic fundoplication
Peptic ulcer disease -
What sx are common to both gastric and duodenal uclers?
Distinguishing sx between the 2.
Sx - epigastric pain, nausea/vomiting, bloating.
Gastric (50-70yrs) - pain worsened by eating, associated with weight loss.
Duodenal (30-50 yrs, more common) - pain relieved by eating, associated with weight gain.
Complications of PUD (4) & signs
- Perforation (causes peritonitis –>guarding and referred pain to shoulder)
- Bleeding (malaena, haematemesis or iron def anaemia)
- Gastric outflow obstruction (if ulcer in pylorus) - nausea and vomiting
- Malignancy (H pylori associated)
most common artery for bleeding due to peptic ulcer
gastroduodenal
Medications that increase risk of PUD (4)
- NSAIDs
- SSRIs
- Oral corticosteroids
- Bisphosphonates
Medical management for proven PUD (no active bleeding)
- Full dose PPI for 1-2 mo OD
- Then long term low dose PPI PRN
other management - lifetsyle advice
How long should PPIs be stopped before doing OGD?
2 weeks
Ruptured peptic ulcer
Px: epigastric pain –> generalised
Ix and finding
Erect chest xray - pneumoperitoneum
and CT Abdo
What is Zollinger-Ellison syndrome?
Which test would be helpful?
A MEN-1 related condition caused by a gastrinoma, causing recurrent gastroduodenal ulcers, diarrhoea and malabsoprtion.
Bloods - fasting gastrin levels
Upper GI bleed: classification (3 categories)
upperGI = proximal from the ligament of Treitz (suspends the duodenojeju
Variceal
- oesophageal/gastric varices (CLD)
- Mallory-Weiss tear
Non-variceal
- Oesophagitis
- PUD
- Diverticular disease
Other
- Meds
- Bleeding disorder
- Aortic-enteric fistula
Upper GI bleed - acute managment
ABATED:
A-E
Bloods: FBC, U&E, LFT, coags, cross-match
Access: 2 x wide bore cannula
Transfuse: keep Hb >80. Or crystalloids.
Endoscopy (OGD): 4hr/24hr. Endoscopic intervention.
Drugs: stop NSAIDs and anticougulants.
What does the Glasgow-Blatchford score indicate, using what 3 parameters (+ other)?
Endoscopy within 4hr or 24hr.
Or if 0, consider discharge.
Takes into account urea, Hb, systolic BP and other signs (shock, cardiac/hepatic failure, pulse rate)
What does the Rockall score show?
What does >=3 initial and >=6 final indicate?
Mortality/riskof rebleed for patients after endoscopy - used for patients before endoscopy and after to determine suitability for surgery
>=3initial/>=6 = low risk for surgery
sort the blotch (G-B score) and then rock on (Rockall score)
What factors does the Rockall score take into account?
CASEE
- Comorbidities
- Age
- Signs of Shock
- Endoscopic findings (final score)
- AEtiology/cause of bleed
mortality following OGD for Upper GI bleed
Variceal management during OGD before UGIB?
For gastric/oesophageal varices?
Before - Terlipressin & IV Abx
During OGD:
* Oesophageal - band ligation
* Gastric - injection N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate
Other options:
* balloon tamponande - Sengstaken Blakemore tube
* TIPSS - transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt
Indications for surgery following UGIB (3)
- Rockall score >=3 initial or >=6 final
- Re-bleed
- Bleeding requiring >6 units or excessive perioperative bleeding
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition whereby antibodies are produced in response to gliadin. Malabsorption of the following results in which symptoms/complications:
- Carbs
- Proteins
- Fats
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- Vitamin B1 and B6
- Folate and iron
- Ca2+ and Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
- Diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain, weight loss
- Protein losing enteropathy (if severe)
- Steatorrhoea
- Angular stomatitis
- peripheral neuropathy
- anaemia
- osteoporosis
- ptechiae and reduced INR
Which 2 cancers are associated with Coeliac disease?
And what 3 autoimmune conditions?
EATL (Enteropathy associated T-cell lymphoma)
NHL (non Hodgkin-lymphoma)
DM
Primary bilary cholangitis
IgA deficiency
What blood tests are diagnostic for Coeliac disease?
anti TTG (95%)
anti-EMA
+ IgA in most but may have IgA deficiency
Typical endoscopic findings for coeliac (3)
- Villous atrophy
- Crypt hypertrophy
- Intra-epithelial lymphocytes
Why are coeliacs offered a pneumococcal vaccine?
Functional hyposplenism
Dermatological condition found in 15% of coeliac patients (pruritic, vesicular rash found on extensor surfaces)
Dermatitis herpetiformis - treat with dapsone or gluten-free diet
IBD - bimodal distribution for Crohn’s and UC
UC: 15-25, 55-65.
Crohn’s: 20-30, 60-70.
Macroscopic findings in UC/Crohns
- depth of inflamation
- type of ulceration
- continual/segmental
- thickening/non-thickening
- additional features
UC
* mucosal inflammation
* “denuded”, shallow
* continual
* non-thickening
* psuedopolyps
Crohn’s
* transmural inflammation
* cobblestone appearance
* segmental “skip lesions”
* thickening
* fistulae, “rose-thorn ulcers”
Microscopic changes in UC vs Crohns (3)
UC:
non-granulomatous
goblet cell depletion
crypt abscess formation
**Crohns: **
non-caseating granulomatous (in 50%), goblet cell hypertrophy
lymphocytic infiltration
basically everything is more intense/deep/dramatic in Crohn’s at micro/macroscopic level except for crypt abscesses - they are more common in UC
Complications of UC vs Crohn’s (2-3 each)
UC
1. Toxic megacolon
2. CRC
3. Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Crohn’s
1. Fistulae
2. Strictures
3. Bowel obstruction
4. Small bowel cancer (and CRC but less than for UC)
5. Osteoporosis
lower risk of GI malignancy in crohn’s than UC
Dermatological manifestations in IBD (2)
Erythema nodosum
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Inv - IBD
- Bloods - FBC, LFT, CRP, Haematinics, Blood cultures
- Stool - MC&S and faecal calprotectin
- Colonoscopy
- Barium enema (UC) or small-bowel follow-through (Crohn’s)
if non-diagnostic - further imaging e.g. U/S or MRI small bowel
Imaging modality for TMC or bowel obstruction
X-ray Abdo
Medical management of Crohn’s - first line for:
* Inducing remission
* Maintaining remission
- Glucocorticoids - oral/topical/IV (Prednisolone/Budesonide)
- Immunomodulators (Azathioprine/Mercaptopurine)
2nd line to induce remission is 5-ASA, and for maintenance is Methotrexate.
Medical management of UC - first line for:
* Inducing remission
* Maintaining remission
- Aminosalicylates (5-ASA) - Sulfasalazine/Mesalazine, rectal and/ororal
- same
Mx Flare-ups UC
Severity guaged by Truelove and Witt criteria
* Severe, aka >=6 bloody stools per day
* Mild-moderate (proctitis, proctosigmoid, L sided)
* Mild-moderate (extensive)
* Post severe relapse or >2 exac. in yr
- Severe: Admission; IV steroids (+/- IV Clicosporin if no improv in 72hr)
- Topical ASA –> oral ASA (4 weeks) if remission not acheived
- Topical ASA and oral ASA - e.g. Mesalazine x2
- Same but keep on low maintenance dose of Mesalazine
- Oral immunosuppressants: Azathioprine/Mercaptopurine
Surgical options for Crohn’s patients (3)
- Ileocecal resection / other segmental small bowel resections
- Stricturoplasty
- Temorary loop ileostomy
What should be assessed before offering Azathioprine or Mercap?
TPMT activity
Surgical options for UC?
Removal of colon and rectum (panproctocolectomy) - permanent iloestomy/J pouch
What is terminal ileitis and what can it result in?
A complication of Crohn’s.
Malabsorption of bile salts (normally absorbed form terminal ileum) –> Gall stones.
Liver Function Tests
Which LFTs suggest hepatocellular picture, a cholestatic picture, and which are indicators of hepatic synthetic function?
*** Hepatocellular: **aminotransferases (ALT and AST)
* Cholestatic: yGT and ALP
* Synthetic: Albumin, Prothrombin Time and Bilirubin
Liver Function Tests
Ratio indicatiing hepatocellular picture and cholestatic picture
Hepatocellular: ALT/ALP >5
Cholestatic: ALT/ALP <2
Note a “rise” in ALT is 10x and a rise in ALP is 3x.
ALT = Liver Trouble.
ALP= Liver Plus.
Liver Function Tests
Comparing the 2 aminotransferases (ALT and AST) what can be deduced?
AST>ALT: Alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis
Liver Function Tests
ALP gives an indicator of dysfunction in which areas?
Liver Plus:
biliary system and bones
- vitamin D deficiency, bony mets, bone tumours, #s, renal osteodystrophy
Pre-hepatic causes of jaundice (3)
and example for each
Increased production of bilirubin - UCB
- Haemolysis (G6PD deficiency, Hereditary sphero, Rhesus)
- Haemorrhage (ruptured AAA)
- Ineffective erythropoesis (thalassemia)