Paeds Gastro Flashcards
What is the cause of jaundice in the first 24 hours ?
- Pathological
- Rhesus haemolytic disease
- ABO haemolytic disease
- Hereditary spherocytosis
- Glucose-6-phosphodehydrogenase
What is the cause of jaundice 2-14 days post birth ?
- Very common (40%) of baby and usually due to a combination of factors including more red blood cells, more fragile red blood cells and less developed liver function
- More commonly seen in breastfed babies
When does prolonged jaundice occur ?
- After 14 days
What are the causes of prolonged jaundice ?
- Biliary atresia
- Hypothyroidism
- Galactosaemia
- UTI
- Breast milk jaundice
- Prematurity – due to immature liver function
- Congenital infections e.g. CMV
What is the risk with jaundice and prematurity ?
- Kernicterus
- Brain damage occurring as a result toxic levels of unconjugated bilirubin
How is pathological jaundice managed ?
- Phototherapy
- Exchange transfusion
What is necrotising enterocolitis ?
- A life threatening emergency caused by death of the bowel tissue
- Surgical emergency which could lead to peroration, peritonitis and shock
RFs for necrotising enterocolitis ?
- Very low birth weight or premature
- Formula feeds
- Respiratory distress and assisted ventilation
- Sepsis
- PDA or other congenital heart defects
Presentation of necrotising enterocolitis
- Feeding intolerance
- Abdominal distension
- Bloody stools
- Quickly progresses to abdominal discolouration, perforation and peritonitis
X-ray signs of necrotising enterocolitis
- Dilated bowel loops
- Bowel wall oedema
- Pneumatosis intestinalis
- Portal venous gas
- Air both inside and outside the bowel (Rigler sign)
- Air outlining the falciform ligament (football sign)
Investigations for necrotising enterocolitis
- FBC – thrombocytopenia and neutropenia
- CRP – inflammation
- Capillary BG – metabolic acidosis
- Blood cultures – for sepsis
Management for necrotising enterocolitis
- If suspected then nil by mouth, IV fluids and total parenteral nutrition and ABs to stabilize
- NG tube can drain fluid from stomach and intestines
- Surgical emergency
Complications of necrotising enterocolitis
- Sepsis
- Death
- Perforation and peritonitis
- Abscess formation
- Recurrence
- Long term stoma
- Short bowel syndrome
Why are babies more susceptible to GORD ?
- Immaturity of the lower oesophageal sphincter, allowing stomach contents to more easily reflux
- Reflux in babies is normal provided there is normal development
- Usually improves as babies grow and 90% of infants will stop after 1 year
GORD presentation in babies ?
- Chronic cough
- Hoarse cry
- Distress, crying or unsettled after feeding
- Reluctance to feed
- Pneumonia
- Poor weight gain
GORD presentation in infants over 1 year
- Similar to adults
- Heartburn
- Acid regurgitation
- Retrosternal or epigastric pain
- Bloating and nocturnal cough
DDs of vomiting in infants
- Overfeeding
- GORD
- Pyloric stenosis
- Gastritis or gastroenteritis
- Appendicitis
- Infections such as UTI, tonsilitis or meningitis
- Intestinal obstruction
- Bulimia
Vomiting red flags
- Not keeping down any feed
- Projectile vomiting or forceful vomiting
- Bile stained
- Haematemesis or melaena
- Abdominal distention
- Reduced consciousness, bulging fontanelle or neurological signs
- Respiratory symptoms
- Blood in stools
- Signs of infection
- Rash, angioedema or other signs of allergy
- Apnoeas – serious cardiac pathology
GORD management
- Simple = explanation, reassurance and practical advice – small frequent meals, burping, not-over-feeding, keep the baby upright after feeding
- More problematic = Gaviscon mixed with feeds, thickened milk or formula, PPIs
What is Sandifer’s syndrome ?
- Rare condition causing brief episodes of abnormal movements associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux in infants
- The infants are usually neurologically normal
What are key features of Sandifer’s syndrome ?
- Torticollis – forceful contractions of the neck muscles causing twisting of the neck
- Dystonia – abnormal muscle contractions causing twisting movements, arching of the back or unusual posture
- Tends to resolve as reflux is treated or improves
- Generally the outcome is good
- DD is infantile spasms and seizures so it is worth referring for specialist assessment
What is pyloric stenosis ?
- Hypertrophy (thickening) and therefore narrowing of the pylorus a ring of smooth muscle that forms the canal between the stomach and the duodenum
Epidemiology of PS ?
- 4 per 1000
- 4x more common in males
- 10-15% of infants have a positive family history
- 1st borns more commonly affected
Features of Pyloric Stenosis ?
- Projectile vomiting typically 30 minutes after a feed
- Constipation and dehydration may also be present
- A palpable olive sized mass may be present in the upper abdomen
- Hyperchloremic hypokalemic acidosis due to persistent vomiting
How is PS diagnosed and managed ?
- US
- Ramstedt pyloromyotomy
What is Gastroenteritis ?
- Gastroenteritis = inflammation all the way from the stomach to the intestines and presents with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
- Very common in children MCC is viral
DDs of gastroenteritis
- Infection
- IBD
- Lactose intolerance
- Coeliac disease
- CF
- Toddler’s diarrhoea
- IBS
- Medications e.g. antibiotics
MCC of gastroenteritis
- Rotavirus
- Norovirus
- (E.coli less common associated with bloody diarrhoea)
Principles of gastroenteritis management
- Patient isolation, barrier nursing and infection control
- Stay off school 48 hours or until symptoms have completely resolved
- Stool microscopy, culture and sensitivities
- Maintain hydration and attempt fluid challenge
- If can handle PO fluids then send home otherwise IV hydration
DDs for constipation in infant
- Idiopathic or functional
- Hirschsprung’s
- CF
- Hypothyroidism
Constipation presentation
- Less than 3 stools a week
- Hard stools that are difficult to pass
- Rabbit dropping stools
- Straining and painful passages of stools
- Abdominal pain
- Holding an abnormal posture, referred to as retentive posturing
- Rectal bleeding associated with hard stools
- Faecal impaction causing overflow soiling, with incontinence of particularly loose smelly stools
- Hard stools may be palpable in abdomen
- Loss of the sensation of the need to open the bowels
What is encopresis ?
- A term for faecal incontinence
- Not considered pathological until 4 years of age
- Usually a sign of chronic constipation where the rectum becomes stretched and looses sensation
- Large hard stools remain in the rectum and only loose stools are able to bypass the blockage and leak out causing soiling
Conditions that can present with encopresis ?
- Spina bifida
- Hirschsprung’s disease
- Cerebral palsy
- Learning disability
- Stress and abuse
Lifestyle factors that can contribute to constipation
- Habitually not opening the bowels
- Low fibre diet
- Poor fluid intake and dehydration
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Psychosocial problems such as a difficult home or school environment (always keep safeguarding in mind)
Constipation red flags
- Not passing meconium within 48 hours of birth (cystic fibrosis or Hirschsprung’s disease)
- Neurological signs or symptoms, particularly in the lower limbs (cerebral palsy or spinal cord lesion)
- Vomiting (intestinal obstruction or Hirschsprung’s disease)
- Ribbon stool (anal stenosis)
- Abnormal anus (anal stenosis, inflammatory bowel disease or sexual abuse)
- Abnormal lower back or buttocks (spina bifida, spinal cord lesion or sacral agenesis)
- Failure to thrive (coeliac disease, hypothyroidism or safeguarding)
- Acute severe abdominal pain and bloating (obstruction or intussusception)
Complications of constipation
- Pain
- Reduced sensation
- Anal fissures
- Hemorrhoids
- Overflow and soiling
- Psychosocial morbidity
Management of constipation
- Correct any reversible contributing factors, recommend a high fibre diet and good hydration
- Start laxatives (movicol is first line)
- Faecal impaction may require a dis-impaction regimen with high doses of laxatives at first
- Encourage and praise visiting the toilet. This could involve scheduling visits, a bowel diary and star charts.
When is peak incidence for appendicitis ?
- 10-20 years
How does appendicitis classically present ?
- Abdominal pain that starts centrally and then moves down to the right iliac fossa over time
- On palpation the abdomen is tender in McBurney’s point (one third the distance from the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) to the umbilicus
- Rovsing’s sign (palpation of the left iliac fossa causes pain in the RIF)
- Rebound tenderness is increased pain when quickly releasing pressure on the right iliac fossa
How is diagnosis of appendicitis made ?
- Based on the clinical presentation and raised inflammatory markers
- Performing a CT scan be useful in confirming the diagnosis, particularly where another diagnosis is more likely
- US scan is often used in female patients to exclude ovarian or gynecological pathology
Key DDs for appendicitis
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Ovarian cysts
- Meckle’s Diverticulum
- Mesenteric Adenitis
- Appendix mass
Management of appendicitis
- Urgent admission to hospital under the surgical team
- Removal of the inflamed appendix (appendicectomy) is the definitive management for acute appendicitis.
- Laparoscopic surgery is associated with fewer risks and faster recovery compared to open surgery (laparotomy).