GI: Gastrointestinal bleeding Flashcards
What is haematemesis?
Vomiting blood
What is malena?
Passage of black tarry stools. Usually indicates bleeding proximal to the jejunum
What is the most common cause of bleeding in the GI tract?
Peptic ulcers
What other conditions can cause GI bleeding?
Varices
Mallory Weiss tear
Gastric cancer
How is a patients risk of life threatening/recurrent haemorrhage assessed?
The ‘rockhall’ score
What score on the Rockhall chart indicates a high risk patient?
A score of 4 or more
What is the likely diagnosis in a patient with a history of vomiting preceding the haematemesis?
Mallory Weiss tear
What it the likely diagnosis in a patient with known liver disease presenting with haematemesis?
Variceal haemorrhage
What is the treatment for variceal haemorrhage?
Banding or scleropathy. Antibiotics are also given
What does bright red blood per rectum suggest?
Bleeding from the colon or small intestine
What are common causes of minor rectal bleeding? (common)
Haemorrhoids
Anal fissures
What are common causes of major rectal bleeding? (rare)
Diverticular disease
ischaemic colitis
What invasive investigation is done to asses anorectal disease?
Proctoscopy
What invasive investigation is done to asses bleeding potentially caused by IBD/Colon cancer/diverticular disease?
Sigmoidoscopy
Colonoscopy
What investigation is done to rule out vascular abnormalities? e.g. angiodysplasia (abnormal collections of blood vessels)
Angiography
