Pathology of Large Bowel Flashcards
Common large bowel diseases
Dma of colon and rectum Colonic polyps Crohn's colitis and ulcerative colitis Diverticular disease Functional disorders
Less common large bowel disease
Colonic volvulus, colonic angiodysplasia, ischaemic colitis, psudo-obstruction
What is diverticular disease
Mucosal herniation through muscle coat
True vs false herniation
True herniation has all layers of the wall whereas false only has the mucosa and submucosa protruding
Common cause of diverticular disease
Low fibre intake, congenital
Diverticulosis vs diverticulitis
Diverticulosis is formation of small, bulging pouches in the GI tract whereas diverticulitis is inflammation of this pouches
Risk of sigmoidoscopy in diverticulosis
Lots of pockets may develop in diverticulosis and the operator must be careful in sigmoidoscopy not to go through these and cause further perforation
When can appendicitis be mistaken for sigmoid colon diverticulitis
Diverticulitis is inflammation and this can cause the sigmoid colon to enlarge and move into the right iliac fossa causing appendicitis like pain
Complications of diverticulitis
Pericolic disease, perforation, haemorrhage, fistula, stricture
When can a patient have bubbles in urine
Colovesical fistula which is a compliation of diverticular disease causing a fistula between colon and bladder
Acute diverticulitis can be classifed by
Hinchey classification
Treatment options for different stages in Hinchey classification
Stage 0 - Oral antibiotics
Stage 1a or 1b - IV antibiotics
Stage 2 - Percutaneous drain, pass drain through CT
Stage 3 - Laproscopic surgery to drain out pus + antibiotics
Stage 4 - Surgery possible to remove bowels
What is stage 0 Hinchey classification of acute diverticulitis
Clinically mild diverticulitis
What is stage 1a Hinchey classification of acute diverticulitis
Confined pericolic inflammation and phlegmonous inflammation
What is stage 1b Hinchey classification of acute diverticulitis
Abscess (<5cm) formation in proximity of inflammatory process
What is stage 2 Hinchey classification of acute diverticulitis
Intra-abdominal abscess, pelvic or retroperitoneal abscess, abscess distant from primary inflammation
What is stage 3 Hinchey classification of acute diverticulitis
Generalized purulent peritonitis
What is stage 4 Hinchey classification of acute diverticulitis
Fecal peritonitis
How is complex diverticulitis treated
Percutaneous drainage
Hartmann’s procedure
Laparoscopic lavage and drainage
Primary resection/anastomosis
Cause of acute and chronic colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and UC), pathogens, ischaemia
Symptoms of acute and chronic colitis
Diarrhoea +/- blood, abdominal cramps +/-, dehydration, septis, maybe weight loss and anaemic
X-ray features of acute and chronic colitis
Lead piping on descending colon - Smooth layers
Thumb printing on ascending colon - Severe mucosal inflammation
Diagnosing colitis
Sigmoidoscopy, x-ray, CT scan, stool cultures, barium enema (rarely used now)