GIT Flashcards
What is the referral criteria for non-urgent direct access for endoscopy to investigate for oesophageal/stomach cancer?
> 55 with treatment resistant dyspepsia (chronic GORD) but are H.Pyori -ve.
What is the criteria for an urgent referral (2WW) for an endoscopy to investigate for oesophageal/stomach cancer?
Dysphagia OR >55 with weight loss and one of the following: upper abdo pain, reflux, dyspepsia.
Barrett’s oesophagus is metaplasia of what cells? What is this caused by?
squamous epithelium transforms into columnar epithelium alongside presence of goblet cells.
Caused by chronic GORD.
What does Barrett’s oesophagus put someone at increased risk of? How do we manage it to avoid this?
- Adenocarcinoma in the distal 1/3 of the oesophagus
- High grade can be managed with endoscopic ablation
A patient >50 with an extensive smoking history and a PMHx of Barrett’s oesophagus presenting with weight loss and worsening dysphagia is likely what?
Adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.
What is the most common malignancy of the oesophagus? What are common risk factors?
SCC (often upper 2/3).
RFs: excessive smoking and drinking, and HPV
What is Plummer-Vinson Syndrome? How might it present? What is it a RF for?
- Triad of post cricoid dysphagia, iron deficiency, and upper oesophageal web.
- bulge in neck on swallowing, odynophagia, halitosis, glossitis, angular stomatitis, and pallor.
- RF for SCC
Someone with a bleeding gastric ulcer who is -ve for H.Pylori after endoscopy should managed how 6 weeks later?
Endoscopy 6-8 weeks later, these are high risk for malignancy.
How might someone with a left sided colonic cancer present?
- microcytic anaemia
- bowel obstruction (due to firm stool here)
- fresh rectal bleeding
- tenesmus
- mass in the LIF/rectum
How might someone with a right sided bowel cancer present?
- microcytic anaemia
- occult bleeding
- change in bowel habit
- increased mucus in stool
- weight loss
- DRE clinically normal
Ca19-9 is associated with what cancer? How might this present?
Pancreatic.
Upper abdo mass, weight loss, painless jaundice.
Which strand of HPV is most commonly associated with oropharyngeal cancers?
HPV-16
What is Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome?
Gastrinoma releasing excessive gastrin cause severe ulcerations in stomach and duodenum.
What type of colonic adenomas are most likely to become cancerous?
Flat colonic adenomas
Villous polyps are associated with malignancy where? What electrolyte abnormality are they associated with?
Colorectal cancer, hypokalaemia
Where does colorectal cancer most commonly metastasize to?
Liver because of the portal-venous drainage system.
What characteristics are seen on a biopsy of someone with UC?
- Surface inflammation: mucosa to submucosa
- goblet cell depletion
- crypt abscesses (containing collections of neutrophils)
- mucin depletion
- mucosal atrophy
- basal plasmacytosis
- continuous disease
How do we categorise the severity UC? What are the components of a severe episode?
Truelove and Witts criteria.
Severe:
- bowel movements /day ( >6)
- visible blood in stool
- pyrexia (>37.8)
- pulse (>90)
- anaemia (<105)
- ESR (>30)
What is 1st line for management of mild-moderate UC?
Aminosalicylates (mesalazine, sulfasalazine)
What is first line management for severe UC?
Steroids
What characteristics are seen on biopsy for crohn’s disease?
- Deeper inflammation: mucosa to serosa
- goblet cell INCREASE
- granulomas
Why might someone with Crohn’s be B12 defficient?
Crohn’s is associated with terminal ileitis which is where B12 is absorbed meaning the inflammation prevents efficient absorption.
Crohn’s is associated with perianal fistulas due to chronic inflammation in the anal canal. What is gold standard for investigating these?
MRI pelvis.
What is first line for inducing remission inan acute crohn’s flare?
Steroids (predisolone or IV hydrocortisone)
What is first line to maintain remission in a flare of crohn’s?
Azathioprine or mercaptopurine
What is a Hartmann’s procedure?
Removal of sigmoid colon and formation of a COLONOSTOMY.
How do anal fissures present? How are they managed?
Pain on defecation, fresh blood in bowl and on paper from wiping.
Topical diltiazem (CCN) and topical vasodilator (GTN).
How Coeliac disease present?
- N+V
- abdo pain
- diarrhoea
- steatorrhea
- fatigue
- weight loss
- dermatitis herpetiformis (papulovesicular rash on buttocks, arms, legs, abdo)
How do you investigate for coeliac disease? What are the findings?
Gold standard is duodenal or jejunal biopsy - villous atrophy, crypt hyperplasia, intraepithelial lymphocytosis, lamina propria inflammation.
Can do serum anti-TTG to help guide diagnosis.
A stoma in the RIF with liquid contents, a spouted end, and two visible ends is resultant of what surgery?
Anterior resection with temporary loop ileostomy.
A stoma in the LIF with solid stool contents and only one visible end is a result of what surgery?
Abdominal-peritoneal (AP) resection with permanent end colonostomy.
What is a panproctocolectony?
Removal of the entire colon, rectum, and anal canal.
Requires formation of an end ileostomy.
Why does D+V cause a raised anion gap metabolic acidosis?
Loss of bicarbonate
What is the most common cause of D+V in children?
Rotavirus - causes acute onset of D+V, reduced oral intake, lethargy, etc.
What is pseudomembranous colitis? What is it a complication of?
Raised yellow plaques (2-10mm) along mucosa of colon.
Complication of C.Diff.
How can we diagnose a H.Pylori infection in:
a) someone presenting with chronic GORD?
b) someone presenting with a gastric or duodenal ulcer?
a) stool sample or carbon13 breath test
b) rapid urease test on gastric biopsy taken from endoscopy
How do you manage a H.pylori infection?
- Amoxicillin (metro in penicillin allergic), clarithromycin, PPI for 7 days
- Re-test
- If still present swap clarithromycin for metro and do another 7 days of triple therapy (if pen allergic then do a tetracycline or quinolone)
What is Whipple’s disease? What are the symptoms?
Tropheryma whipplei infection (gram +ve bacteria) causing D+V, abdo pain, joint pain, malabsorption, and systemic features.
How do we diagnose and treat Whipple’s disease?
Jejunal biopsy.
2-4 weeks of IV abx (ceftriaxone or penicillin).
What is 1st line for C.Diff infection?
For mild-moderate cases oral metronidazole but in the absence of good clinical response, or in severely ill pts oral vancomycin should be used.
How does mesenteric adenitis present? What will USS or CT show?
diffuse abdo pain, low-grade fever, and abdo generalised tenderness often following URTI.
USS or CT will show a normal appendix with pronounced lymph nodes.