High Yield Exam Cram Flashcards
Which cells in the stomach produce mucous?
Mucous cells
Name the two nerve plexuses that give the gut independent neural control
Submucosal + myenteric plexuses = enteric nervous system (ENS)
Which cells in the stomach produce pepsinogen?
chief cells
Which cells in the stomach produce hydrochloric acid and intrinsic factor?
Parietal cells
What is intrinsic factor required for?
vitamin B12 absorption
What produces intrinsic factor?
Parietal cells
Where in the body is vitamin B12 absorbed?
Terminal ileum
Which glands produce bicarbonate?
Brunner’s glands
Explain where the secretions from the exocrine and endocrine pancreas are secreted to and what they are
Endocrine pancreas -> secretes insulin into blood
Exocrine pancreas -> secretes bicarb and digestive enzymes into duodenum
Why doesn’t the pancreas digest itself?
Enzymes made in the pancreas are inactivated and then become active in duodenum when they come into contact with Enterokinase (a brush border enzyme)
What are the constituent monomers of lactose
glucose + galactose
What brush border enzyme breaks down lactose?
Lactase
What are the constituent monomers of sucrose?
glucose + fructose
What brush border enzyme breaks down sucrose?
sucrase
What are the constituent monomers of maltose?
glucose + glucose
What brush border enzyme breaks down maltose?
Maltase
What are the fat soluble vitamins?
A, D, E, K
What is segmentation?
Pushes chyme back and forwards to mix and aid digestion
When does segmentation occur?
Occurs while you are still eating
Name the two different types of anal sphincters
internal anal sphincter (smooth muscle under automatic control)
external anal sphincter (skeletal muscle under voluntary control)
What is the most common typeof GI cancer
Adenocarcinoma
How do you differentiate an upper and lower GI bleed?
High urea = upper GI bleed
How should GI bleeds be investigated?
Endoscopy
Colonoscopy
What is the name of the scoring system used to assess the likelihood that somebody has had a GI bleed
Glasgow-Blachford Score
What is the Rockall score used for?
Estimating the risk of re-bleeding and mortality
What is a Mallory-Weiss tear?
tear and bleeding associated with vomiting
What is Boerhaave’s and what is the triad associated with it?
Full thickness perforation of oesophagus.
Triad of Vomiting, chest pain, surgical emphysema.
Look out for gastric contents in chest cavity.
What are the red flag symptoms associated with GORD?
- Dysphasia
- Weight loss
- > 55
- Mass on palpation
- Low haemoglobin
- Raised platelet count
What is the surgical management of GORD
Nissan Fundoplication
What is the classical finding on barium swallow in diffuse oesophageal spasm?
Corkscrew
How is diffuse oesophageal spasm managed?
Muscle relaxants
How does diffuse oesophageal spasm present?
Severe, episodic chest pain with or without dysphasia
How does achalasia look on barium swallow?
Bird’s beak
What causes achalasia?
loss of the myenteric plexus ganglion cells in lower oesophagus -> lack of relaxation
How does achalasia present?
Dysphasia to solids and liquids at the same time
How can achalasia be managed?
balloon dilatation +/- botulism
or
Heller cardiomyotomy
What kind of cancer tends to affect the upper 2/3rds of the oesophagus?
Squamous cell carcinoma
What kind of cancer tends to affect the lower 1/3 of the oesophagus?
Adenocarcinoma
What condition pre-disposes to oesophageal adenocarcinoma?
Barrett’s oesophagus
Explain the process that sees normal oesophageal cells become an adenocarcinoma
Stratified squamous epithelium -> METAPLASIA ->
Simple columnar epithelium -> DYSPLASIA->
Adenocarcinoma
How is an oesophageal cancer imaged?
endoscopy, contrast swallow, CT
What are the two options to help prevent rupture of oesophageal varices?
- Propranolol
- Band ligation
What are the acute management options in oesophageal varices?
Broad spectrum abx
Terlipressin
Bind ligation
Sengstaken-Blakemore tube
TIPSS stenting can be used in cases of re-bleeding
What test is used to identify H. Pylori?
Urease breath test
What drug must be stopped prior to urease breath test and for how long before must it be stopped?
must be off PPI for 2 weeks!
If symptoms have not cleared, when should patients be re-tested for H.Pylori?
4 weeks
What is the treatment for H.Pylori?
clarithromycin, amox, omeprazole (abx for 7 days)
What is Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome?
Duodenal or pancreatic tumour produces excess gastrin. Causes gastric ulcers.
When should patients treated for a gastric ulcer be re-scoped?
4-8 weeks after treatment
How can a gastric ulcer be differentiated from a duodenal ulcer?
Peptic = worse on eating
Duodenal = relieved on eating, sore 2-3 hrs later
What is an absolute contraindication to NG tube?
Basal skull fracture
What should the pH of safe NG aspirate be?
<5
What are the surgical resection options for a gastric cancer?
- Subtotal Gastrectomy (preserving some of the stomach)
Total Gastrectomy and Roux en Y reconstruction (remove the stomach and attach the distal oesophagus to small bowel
What is ALWAYS the distal margin when resecting a gastric tumour, regardless of where it is?
1st part of the duodenum
When would bariatric surgery be considered?
BMI > 35 and you have made efforts at weight loss
Name the causes of acute liver injury
- Viruses (hepatitis)
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Prolonged bile duct obstruction
What are the 4 most common causes of liver cirrhosis?
Alcoholic liver disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
What is the difference between compensated and decompensated liver disease?
Compensated = patient is well and bloods are not deranged
Decompensated = AHOY
- Ascites
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Oesophageal varies bleeding
- Yellow (jaundice)
Which scans are useful for identifying liver cirrhosis?
liver ultrasound (increased echogenicity) or a fibro scan
What blood test can be used to identify cirrhosis?
Enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) blood test
What is the gold standard for diagnosing liver cirrhosis?
Liver biopsy
What is the function of the Child-Pugh score?
Assesses severity of cirrhosis and prognosis
How should patient’s with liver cirrhosis be monitored?
MELD score done every 6 months to estimate 3 month mortality
Ultrasound and AFP every 6 months to screen for hepatocellular carcinoma
Endoscopy every 3 years to check for oesophageal varices
What are the 3 basic steps in the pathological progression of alcoholic liver disease?
- Fatty change
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Cirrhosis
What is the function of the AUDIT questionnaire?
Screens for harmful alcohol use
What blood test finding is classical for alcoholic liver disease?
AST:ALT >2:1
What occurs at the following times during alcohol withdrawal:
6-12 hours
12-24 hours
24-48 hours
24-72 hours
?
6-12 hours = tremor, sweating, headache, craving & anxiety
12-24 hours = hallucinations
24-48 hours = seizures
24-72 hours = delirium tremens
What would you expect to see in a patient withdrawing from alcohol at 6-12 hours after their last drink?
tremor, sweating, headache, craving & anxiety
What would you expect to see in a patient withdrawing from alcohol at 12-24 hours after their last drink?
Hallucinations
What would you expect to see in a patient withdrawing from alcohol at 24-48 hours after their last drink?
seizures
What would you expect to see in a patient withdrawing from alcohol at 24-72 hours after their last drink?
delirium tremens
What can be used in acute withdrawal to:
A) Manage symptoms
B) protect against wernicke’s encephalopathy
Chlordiazepoxide (benzo)
Pabrinex (thiamine B1)
What scoring system is used to estimate the amount of liver scarring in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?
NAFLD (Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease) Fibrosis Score
What characteristic blood test finding is seen in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?
ALT: AST >1:5
Which hepatitis strain is a notifiable disease?
All strains!
Which Hepatitis strains are
A) DNA viruses
B) RNA viruses
Hep B is the only DNA, the rest are all RNA viruses.
How is acute hepatitis managed?
Supportive management for all
+ antivirals for Hep B & C
+ pegylated interferon alpha for 48 weeks for Hep D
Which strains of hepatitis are spread via the fecal-oral route?
A & E
Which strain of hepatitis can you NOT vaccinate against?
C
Which strain of hepatitis can only occur in combination with a current hepatitis B infection
Hepatitis d
What does the hepatitis surface antibody indicate?
current infection or recent vaccine (not +ve in chronic infection)
What does the hepatitis E antibody indicate?
the virus is currently replicating and the patient is infectious
What does the hepatitis c antibody indicate?
high IgM = acute infection
Low IgM = chronic infection
IgG +ve = previous infection
Who gets Type 1 autoimmune hepatitis?
Ladies, during or after menopause.
Who gets type 2 autoimmune hepatitis?
Children
How does type 1 autoimmune hepatitis present?
fatigue and features of liver disease
How does type 2 autoimmune hepatitis present?
Symptoms of acute hepatitis
Which autoantibodies are associated with
A) Type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis
B) Type 2 autoimmune pancreatitis
Type 1: - ANA & anti-SMA
Type 2: - Anti-LKM1 & anti-LC1