GI surgeries Flashcards
How do you take a surgical history?
Pain assessment with SOCRATES, past medical + surgical history.
How does bowel ischaemia usually present?
Sudden onset crampy abdominal pain, severity depending on length/thickness affected. Bloody, loose stool, fever, signs of septic chock
What is acute mesenteric ischaemia? When does it usually happen? How does it present?
- Small bowel obstruction usually occlusive due to thromboemboli (potentially AF), usually clot in SMA.
- Sudden onset presentation, severity varies
What is ischaemic colitis? What is it due to? How does it present?
Large bowel, usually due to non-occlusive flow states/atherosclerosis (eg artery blocked/narrowed). Milder/gradual onset, moderate pain and tenderness
What are risk factors for bowel ischaemia?
Age >65, cardiac arrhythmias (AF), atherosclerosis, hypercoagulation/thrombophilia, vasculitis, sickle cell, profound shock causing hypotension (eg cardiac surgery)
What are investigations done for bowel ischaemia?
- Blood (FBC for neutrophilic leucocytosis)
- VBG for lactic acidosis (low pH, metabolic acidosis).
- Imaging CTAP/CT angiogram to detect stenosis/disrupted flow/pneumatosis intestinalis
- endoscopy for mild/moderate cases can see oedema, cyanosis, ulceration of mucosa
What is lactic acidosis associated with?
Late stage mesenteric ischaemia & extensive transmural intestinal infraction
What sign is an unspecific sign of colitis (ischaemic colitis)?
thumbprint sign
What is conservative management for bowel ischaemia? When is it used?
- For mild/moderate cases of ischaemic colitis (never for SB ischaemia!!!)
- IV fluids, bowel rest (NBM), broad spectrum antibiotics, NG tube for decompression in concurrent ileus, anticoagulation, treat/manage causes.
- Do repeat regular abdo exams/imaging to see changes & signs of peritonitis (pushes away from conservative management)
What is surgical management of bowel ischaemia? When is it used?
- For SB ischaemia, signs of peritonitis/sepsis, haemodynamic instability, massive bleeding, fulminant colitis with toxic megacolon.
- Explaratory laparotomy (resection of necrotic bowel +/- open surgical embolectomy or mesenteric arterial bypass). -Or can do endovascular revascularisation (bal;oon angioplasty/thrombectomy) in those without signs of ischaemia (more chronic)
How does acute appendicitis usually present?
Periumbilical pain radiating to RLQ within 24 hours, associated with anorexia, nausea +/- vomiting, low grade fever, change in bowel habit
What are important clinical signs in acute appendicitis?
- mcBurney’s point (tenderness in RLQ - line between right ASIS and umbilicus)
- blumberg’s sign (rebound tenderness in RIF - right iliac fossa)
- roysing sign (RLQ pain on deep palpation of LLQ)
- psoas sign (RLQ pain on flexion of right hip against resistance)
- obturator sign (RLQ pain on passive internal rotation of hip with hip & knee flexion).
!!Signs not used as much as have imaging!!
What are investigations for acute appendicitis? What imaging is used and in what cases?
- Bloods (raised neutrophils, high CRP, urine possible mild pyruria/haematuria, electrolyte imbalance if vomiting).
- Imaging: gold standard is CT in adults. USS in children/pregnancy/breastfeeding. MRI in pregnancy if USS inconclusive. Diagnostic laparoscopy in persistent pain & inconclusive imaging
What is conservative management of acute appendicitis?
IV fluids, analgesia, IV or PO (per oral) antibiotics.
What do you do in case of abscess, phlegmon or sealed perforation? (in context of appendicitis)
Resuscitation + IV antibiotics +/- percutaneous drainage. Consider interval appendicectomy
What is surgical management of acute appendicitis? which is preferred and why?
Laparoscopic or open appendicectomy.
-Less pain, infection, hospital stay, easier return to work, cost, QOL with laparoscopic
what are types of intestinal obstruction? How are they classified?
- Intestinal obstruction is restriction of normal passage of contents.
1. paralytic ileus (abdomen full of pus irritating bowel and stopping peristalsis)
2. mechanical obstruction (classified by speed of onset - acute/chronic/acute on chronic, site - high or low (roughly synonymous with small/large bowel) - -> nature (simple or strangulating) - simple no damage to blood supply, strangulating blood supply cut off
What are causes of bowel obstruction in lumen, wall and outside wall respectively?
- lumen: faecal impaction, gallstone ileus
- walls: crohns, tumour, diverticulitis)
- outside wall (strangulated hernia, volvulus, obstruction due to adhesions/bands)
What are causes of small bowel obstruction?
Adhesions after surgery, neoplasia, incarcerated hernia, crohns
What are causes of large bowel obstruction?
Colorectal cancer, volvulus (twisting of bowel itself), diverticulitis, faecal impaction, hirshprung’s disease (lack of ganglia - no peristalsis)
What is the presentation of small bowel obstruction? What are signs? what sounds would we hear?
- Abdominal pain colicky and central, vomiting early onset, absolute constipation late sign, abdominal distension less significant.
- Signs: dehydration, increased high pitch bowel sounds. Absent bowel sounds later, diffuse abdominal tenderness
What is presentation of large bowel obstruction? Signs?
- Pain colicky or constant, vomiting late, absolute constipation early, distention early and significant.
- Similar signs with SB obstruction
How do you diagnose bowel obstruction?
Presence of symptoms. Should search for hernias and ab scars.
What are features suggesting strangulation?
Change in character of pain from colicky to constant, tachycardia, pyrexia, peritoneum bowel sounds absent/reduced, leukocytosis, high CRP
What types of hernias exist and when can strangulation happen?
Epigastric, umbilical, incisional, inguinal, femoral. If large defect bowel can go in and out without problem to blood supply, but if small defect higher chance of strangulation