GI and Liver Flashcards
What infections can occur in the oesophagus?
Candida albicans (fungus) and herpes simplex virus.
What is achalasia?
Failure of lower oesphageal sphincter to open during swallowing.
What is Schatzki ring?
A narrowing of the lower oesphagus that cause cause difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
What is a Curling’s ulcer?
An acute gastric erosion resulting as a complication from severe burns when reduced plasma volume leads to ischemia and cell necrosis (sloughing) of the gastric mucosa.
Name some acute causes of gastritis
Alcohol, medications eg. NSAIDs, severe trauma, burns (curlings ulcer), surgery.
Name some chronic causes of gastritis
A:Autoimmune
B:Bacterial (H. pylori)
C:Chemical
What is achlorhydria?
Absence of hydrochloric acid in the gastric secretions.
What is autoimmune gastritis?
Autoimmune destruction of parietal cells due to auto-antibodies against intrinsic factor and parietal cell antibodies in blood. Leads to complete loss of parietal cells and pyloric and intestinal metaplasia. Achlorhydria which leads to bacterial overgrowth. Persistent inflammation which can lead to epithelial dysplasia and may lead to cancer.
What are the patterns of gastritis that H. pylori cause?
1) Antral-predominant gastritis. Hypergastrinaemia and duodenal ulceration. Associated with lower IL-8 levels.
2) Pangastritis. Hypochlorhydria, multifocal atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and cancer. Associated with higher IL-8 levels.
What are the consequences of peptic ulceration?
Haemorrhage, perforation and fibrosis (leading to stenosis).
What is chemical gastritis?
Few inflammatory cells. Surface congestion oedema, elongation of gastric pits, tortuosity, reactive hyperplasia/atypia, ulceration. Seen in antrum more than corpus. Causes include bile reflux, NSAIDs, ethanol, oral iron.
How do you morphologically class gastric cancer?
Lauren classification into ‘intestinal’ or ‘diffuse’ types.
Diffuse gastric cancer
Individual malignant cells with mucin vaculous “signet ring” cells. May invade extensively without being endoscopically obvious, so called linitis plastica. Weaker link with gastritis. Metastasis to ovaries (Krukenberg tumour).
What is a Krukenberg tumour?
A malignancy in the ovary that metastasized from a primary site, classically the gastrointestinal tract, although it can arise in other tissues such as the breast. Gastric adenocarcinoma, especially at the pylorus, is the most common source.
What is Virchow’s node?
Virchow’s node, or Troisier’s node, refers to carcinomatous involvement of the supraclavicular nodes at the junction of the thoracic duct and the left subclavian vein. Usually, nodal enlargement is caused by metastatic gastric carcinoma.
What is melaena?
Refers to the dark black, tarry faeces that are associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The black colour and characteristic strong odor are caused by haemoglobin in the blood being altered by digestive enzymes and intestinal bacteria.
Upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Major acute medical emergency. Presents with haematemesis (vomiting blood), “coffee ground” vomiting or melaena. Due to a bleeding source in oesophagus, stomach or duodenum.
What are the causes of upper GI bleeding?
Peptic ulcer, oesphagitis, gastriis, duodenitis, varices, malignancy, mallory-weiss tear.
What is a Mallory-Weiss tear?
Characterised by a tear or laceration often along the right border of, or near, the gastro-oesophageal junction. Patients present with non-variceal upper GI bleeding. The haemorrhage is usually self-limited, ceasing spontaneously in 80% to 90% of patients.
What scores can be used to assess upper GI bleeding?
Rockall score (full and admission) predict mortality. Glasgow Blatchford score- predicts needs for intervention or death. GBS less than or equal to 1 identifies those at very low risk of poor outcome: can be discharged for out patient endoscopy.
What can be done in endoscopic therapy of upper GI bleeding?
Adrenaline injection, heater probe, endoscopic clips, (thrombin, laser).
How can Hep. B be transmitted?
Mother to baby, contaminated needles and syringes, child to child, organs and tissue transplantation, fluids (blood, semen), transfusion (blood, blood products).
How can you prevent mother to child transmission of HBV?
1) HBV vaccination to newborn- 6 doses in first year
2) HBV immunoglobulin if eAg+ or high VL
3) Tenofovir during the last trimester if high viral load.
How do you diagnose acute pancreatitis?
2/3 of:
- Pain in keeping with pancreatitis
- Amylase 3 times upper limit of normal
- Characteristic CT appearance
What are potential causes of acute pancreatitis?
Gallstones, alcohol, trauma/ERCP, other.
How do know if there is pancreatic necrosis?
Non enhancing pancrease on venous phase CT. Predicts complicated idsease but initial management not altered. Serial CT for resolution, or repeat if deteritration in organ function/ increse in organ support. Infected pancreatic necrosis- ongoing sepsis and progression to MODS. Requires intervention.
Management of infected pancreatic necrosis
Open necrosectomy, percutaneous necrosectomy, radiological drainage.
What is a pancreatic pseudocyst?
A circumscribed collection of fluid rich in pancreatic enzymes, blood, and necrotic tissue, typically located in the lesser sac of the abdomen. Pancreatic pseudocysts are usually complications of pancreatitis, although in children they frequently occur following abdominal trauma.
What is mucocoele of gallbladder?
A gallbladder mucocele is the distention of the gallbladder by an inappropriate accumulation of mucus.
What is acute haemorrhagic pancreatitis?
Characterised by acute inflammation and necrosis of pancreas parenchyma, focal enzymic necrosis of pancreatic fat and vessel necrosis (haemorrhage). These are produced by intrapancreatic activation of pancreatic enzymes.
Signs and symptoms of carcinoma of pancreas
Painless obstructive jaundice, new onset diabetes, abdominal pain due to pancreatic insufficiency or nerve invasion. Tumours in head may obstruct pancreatic duct and bile duct- “double duct sign” on radiology.
What is the “double duct sign” and what causes it?
In radiology, double duct sign is simultaneous dilation of the common bile duct and pancreatic ducts. 2 most common causes are carcinoma in head of pancreas and ampullary tumours.
What is Whipple’s resection?
Operation to remove tumours in head of pancreas. Only 10% of patients suitable for operation. 75% incompletely excised. Average life expectancy following operation is 20 months.
Neoadjuvant therapy for carcinoma of pancreas
Folfirinox chemotherapy associated with (limited) improvement in metastatic disease. Early data suggests that neoadjuvant therapy improved margin status and may be associated with longer survival.
Carcinoma of gallbladder
Rare. Gallstones present in 80% of cases. Adenocarcinoma.
What are the most common causes of abnormal liver blood tests?
Fatty liver (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), chronic viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver disease, haemochromatosis.