Mostly renal, some IBS and masses Flashcards
Right iliac fossa masses (GI tract)
Appendix mass/abscess, Intussusception, caecal carcinoma, Crohn’s disease.
Right iliac fossa masses - likely systems involved.
GI tract or urogenital.
Right iliac fossa masses (urogenital)
Transplanted kidneys, kidney malformation, tumour in an undescended testis.
Right iliac fossa masses (random, not GI or urogenital)
Amoebic abscess, actinomycosis, TB mass, pelvic mass.
Abdominal distension causes
The five Fs: Flatus Fat Fluid Faeces Fetus
Causes of just ascites (no portal hypertension)
Malignancy Pancreatitus Low albumin Myxodema (hypothyroidism) CCF pericarditis Infections like TB.
Causes of ascites with portal hypertension.
Cirrhosis, portal nodes, Budd-Chiari syndrome, IVC or portal vein thrombosis.
Left upper quadrant masses - probable organs affected
Spleen, stomach, kidney, colon, pancreas
Faeculent vomit
Suggests low intestinal obstruction or the presence of a gastrocolic fistula.
With abdominal pain check
1) Site, intensity, character, duration and frequency.
2) Aggravating and relieving factors.
3) Any associated symptoms.
Causes of right hypochondrial pain
Gall bladder or biliary tract. More rarely can be hepatic congestion or peptic ulcer disease.
Acute pancreatitis definition
Inflammation of the pancreatic gland initiated by acute injury on a background of a previously normal pancreas.
Acute pancreatitis: presenting symptoms
Epigastric pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting, with involvement of retroperitoneum leading to back pain.
Acute pancreatitis: non-presenting symptoms.
Widespread tenderness in abdomen with guarding. Reduced or absent bowel sounds.
Acute pancreatitis: investigations.
Blood tests showing raised serum and/or raised urinary amylase.
Acute pancreatitis predisposing factors.
Alcoholism (more in men), gallstones (more in women).
Odynophagia
Pain on swallowing, commonly due to mouth ulcers
How to identify heartburn as non-cardiac
Burning sensation, not crushing, upwards radiation, occurs on lying down or bending forward.
Deep and poorly localised midline pain is caused by…
Distension of hollow organs, mesenteric traction or excessive smooth muscle contraction. Pain is conducted by sympathetic splanchnic nerves.
Epigastric pain arises from
Stomach, liver, spleen and biliary system
Umbilical pain arises from
Small bowl and appendix.
Suprapubic pain arises from
The colon, although this can be localised.
Midline pain radiating to the back
Likely to be pancreatic
Main parts of kidney
hilum, renal cortex, renal medulla. Pyramids and columns.
Layers of tissue around kidney
Perinephric fat, renal fascia, paranephric fat.
Anatomy of left renal vein
It passes between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery, and can be compressed by an aneurysm in either.
Constrictions of the ureter
ureteropelvic junction,
crossing the common iliac vessels,
entering the bladder
Urinary tract stones - age, sex and predisposition
More men than women, tends to be in 20-60 yr olds, a sedentary lifestyle is predisposing.
What is a urinary tract stone.
A polycrystalline aggregate of precipitated soluble salts in the urinary tract.
Urinary tract imaging
Abdominal X-ray can show stones.
US scanning (for dilatations)
IV urogram
CT.
Types of renal tumours
More common: renal cell carcinoma (can have venous extension) - 90%. Less common (5%): transitional cell tumours.
Common renal diagnostic tests
Clearance tests
Concentration and dilution tests
Serum creatinine and BUN
Protein in urine
Symptoms and causes of acute renal failure
Symptoms: elevated serum creatinine. Renal function declined over days to weeks.
Causes: pre-renal > renal > post renal.
Pre-renal causes of acute kidney failure.
Hypotension, volume depletion, sepsis and renovascular disease.
Symptoms of chronic kidney disease.
Increased urea and creatinine, increased phosphate and decreased haemoglobin.
Common causes of chronic kidney disease
Diabetes mellitus, hypertensive nephropathy, obstructive uropathy, chronic primary glomerulonephritis.
Complications of nephrotic syndrome
Loss of proteins leads to increased risk of infection and thromboembolism. Also have hypercholestraemia.
Symptoms of nephritic syndrome
Hypertension, haematuria and acute renal failure (oliguria).
Also fluid retention, uraemia, and proteinuria.
Nephrotic syndrome - symptoms and most common cause.
Symptoms: proteinuria of at least 3g/24hr, hypoalbuminaemia, oedema. Hypercholesteraemia.
Most common cause is membranous glomerulonephritis.
Effects of treatment of membranous glomerulonephritis.
1/3 recover with conservative treatment, 1/3 don’t, and 1/3 get worse.
Pre-renal causes of kidney failure
Rapid drop in blood pressure.
Renal causes of kidney failure.
Increase in blood pressure, diabetes.
Post-renal causes of kidney failure
Obstruction (stones or malignancy).
Retroperitoneal fibrosis.
Malignancy outside urinary tract causing pressure and obstruction.
The functional unit of the kidney
The nephron. There are roughly 10 to the 6 in each kidney.
Normal urine output
About 0.5 ml/kg/hr
Position of kidney
10-12 cm long between T12 and L3. Right kidney is lower.
Parts of the nephron
The corpuscle and the tubule
Parts of the renal corpuscle
Glomerulus (with 3 membranes)
Bowman’s capsule.
Parts of the renal tubule
Proximal tubule
Loop of Henle
Distal tubule
Collecting duct
Parts of the Loop of Henle (in kidney)
Thin descending limb
Thin ascending limb
Thick ascending limb.
Role of distal tubule in kidney
Hormone sensitive water balance.
Parts of the juxta-glomerular apparatus
Granular cells secreting renin, the macula densa alter GFR and renin secretion.
Stimulation and effect of renin
Decrease in Na+ filtered, or decrease in afferent arteriole pressure or sympathetic B receptor stimulation all lead to renin secretion.
Renin catalyses conversion of angiotensinogen to angiotensin I (which is converted to angiotensin II, a vasoconstrictor).
Stimulation of erythropoietin secretion
Hypoxia of the inner cortex and peritubular interstitium and polycystic kidney disease increase production.
Chronic renal failure decreases production.
Role of ADH
Short acting increase in water reabsorption in the distal tubule and collecting duct. Decreased ADH leads to diabetes insipidus. Increased can be due to a pituitary tumour.
IBS def
A relapsing functional bowel disorder in which abdominal pain or discomfort is associated with defecation or a change in bowel habit.