Peds GI Flashcards
Bloody vomitus is suggestive of…
Maternal ingestion, esophageal varicose, foreign body
Bilious vomitus is suggestive of…
Obstruction - Urgent Eval!
Meal rotation w or w/o volvulus
Congenital intestinal atresia
Patients with GER can be considered to be …
“Happy spitters”
No complications/consequences
Normal physiologic process
Declines with age (common in infants < 6 months)
Growing well, comfortable, healthy clinically
Requires no treatment other than pt ed and reassurance
Patients with GERD can be considered to be …
“Unhappy spitters”
Complications arise
• FTT, esophagitis, respiratory complications
Fussy or irritable, dystonic neck posturing, feeding refusal
Occult blood in stool - consider food intolerance
Diagnosis of GERD is usually…
Clinical
Hemoocult (checking for hidden blood in stool)
Endoscopy, upper GI if severe Sx
GERD symptoms usually resolve by…
9-12 months (mostly because patient is now sitting up to eat)
First line treatment for GERD
Lifestyle modification • Upright positioning 30 min after feeds (not semi-supine) • Trial of hypoallergenic diet • Do not overfeed • Avoid tobacco smoke exposure • Thickened feeds (1-2 tsp cereal/oz)
Medications hold a limited role due to risk vs benefit
• Consider in patient with refractory Sx
• Complicated disease (underlying condition)
• Short term PPI (omeprazole) vs H2 blocker (ranitidine)
Hypertrophy of the pylorus, which can progress to near-complete obstruction of gastric outlet
Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis
Genetic predisposition and environmental factors (ie maternal smoking)
Predisposing factors for pyloric stenosis
Environmental factors (maternal smoking)
Associated with use of macrolide abx during first few weeks of life
M>F (4:1), classic first born male, family history (genetic factors)
2-4/1,000
Classic presentation of pyloric stenosis
3-6 week old infant with forceful vomiting
Nonbilious “projectile” emesis (b/c obstruction is before the biliary tree)
• Immediately after feeding (postprandial)
• “Hungry vomited” (vs. GER - “Happy vomiter”)
• FTT and dehydration may occur as the disease progresses
Phys exam: “Olive-like” mass in RUQ (indicates hypertrophy)
Test of choice for diagnosing pyloric stenosis
Ultrasound —> elongation and thickening of the pylorus
If ultrasound is non-diagnostic, do an Upper GI Barium contrast study —> string sign (narrowed lumen)
Definitive management of pyloric stenosis is via…
Surgery (pyloromyotomy)
IV fluid and electrolyte resuscitation important too
Prognosis is excellent
Absence or obstruction of one or more segments of bowel at birth
Congenital intestinal atresia
Congenital intestinal atresia can occur at any point in the GI tract but ________ is the most commonly affected site
Duodenum
Intestinal atresia is more common in patients with …
Cystic Fibrosis and Down Syndrome
When is congenital intestinal atresia usually diagnosed?
At birth at Sx onset
May also be Dx via prenatal U/S
Clinical presentation of congenital intestinal atresia depends upon…
Degree of obstruction (partial vs complete)
Vomiting (may be bile-stained) within first 48 hours of life
Abdominal distinction
Failure to pass meconium (+/-)
Double bubble sign on plain film xray is indicative of …
Congenital intestinal atresia
Due to gas and dilation in both stomach and duodenum
If jejunoileal/colonic atresia —> dilated loops of bowel with air fluid levels
Upper GI and contrast enema may be used for confirmation or to further identify obstruction
Management of congenital intestinal atresia consists of …
Feedings withheld (IV fluids, correct electrolytes)
Broad spectrum abx to prevent post op infection
Surgical intervention - approach depends on site
Prognosis very good
Abnormal positioning of the intestines is referred to as
Midgut malformation
Midgut malrotation increases the risk of …
Volvulus - small bowel twisting around SMA —> risk of small bowel ischemia
Classic clinical presentation of midgut malrotation
VOMITING - typically bilious (green or fluorescent yellow)
Abdominal pain
Hemodynamic instability
+/- hematochezia (sign of bowel ischemia)
PE: abdominal distention and tenderness
How do you work up a suspected midgut malrotation
1st do abdominal xray to r/o bowel perforation
Gold standard: Upper GI
• Displacement of the duodenum
• Duodenal obstruction
• “Corkscrew appearance” of the duodenum
Ultrasound with barium enema = useful adjunct to UGI but not best for confirming malrotation
What is the Ladd procedure?
Main purpose: to prevent ischemia and recurrent Sx in patients with midgut malrotation
Bowel is untwisted and repositioned in abdomen which creates adhesions to “hold” bowel in place
Prognosis: Resolution of Sx in approx. 90% post op with <1% recurrence
Most common cause of abdominal emergency in kids <2 years
Intussusception (telescoping of the intestine)
Typically in kids aged 6 months to 36 months, and it is the most common cause of obstruction in this age group
Clinical presentation of intussusception
Sudden, intermittent, severe, cramps abdominal pain
Inconsolable crying, draws legs to chest
Vomiting common
Classic triad (only 15% will have ALL three)
• Abdominal pain, abdominal mass, and “Currant jelly” stools
• Current jelly: combo of blood and mucous
• Palpable sausage-shaped mass (swollen bowel)
75% of cases of intussusception are…
Idiopathic
Remaining cases may be caused by “lead point” - a lesion/variation in the intestine dragged by peristalsis into a distal segment
Conditions that increase risk of intussusception
Meckel’s diverticula (most common cause)
Polyp
Tumor
Cyst
Underlying conditions: Crohns, Celiac, CF, viral infections (ie Gastroenteritis)
Rotashield vaccine (22x increased risk of intussusception)
Initial test of choice for the diagnosis of intussusception
Abdominal ultrasound —> “target sign” or “coiled spring”
Hydrostatic/pneumatic enema is both diagnostic and therapeutic
• Treatment of choice if no perforation, ~90% success rate
• U/S or fluoroscopic guided
If reduction unsuccessful, must intervene surgically
The most common pediatric surgical emergency
Appendicitis - obstruction of the appendices lumen leading to inflammation
Peaks in the 2nd decade of life, rare before 5 years