Random Flashcards
What should you suspect in someone with atrial fibrillation and abdominal pain?
Mesenteric thrombosis
- could have small bowel ischaemia
Most common cause of splenomegaly & other causes?
- Malaria (most common)
- other: thrombocytopenia, sickle cell (need special measures in surgery when administering anasethtic)
Aortic aneurysm
- typical patient
Male, fat, 60’s, back pain, had a collapse.
Intraperitoneal –> die
Retroperitoneal –> tamponade due to muscle + pressure
Treatment = clamp on aorta
BE careful when examining as may cause it to burst
Causes of small bowel obstruction
- adhesions (may be from previous surgery)
- hernia
- Caecal cancer
- Partial blockage - still get some gas through
Where does pain from perforation radiate to? What nerve is involved?
Shoulder tip pain
C4 phrenic nerve
What does an obstructed bowel sound like?
Initially some sounds then more, when dilates there are pinging sounds
What is a proctelectomy?
Removal of rectum and all/part of colon
What causes pseudomembranous colitis?
- most likely organism
- treatment?
Usually follows course of broad spectrum antibiotics
Characteristic macro and microscopic appearance
Caused by c. difficile
Treated with vancomycin or metronidazole
What is cyclosporin?
immunosuppressant - acts by inhibiting production and release of lymphokines therefore suppresses cell-mediated immune response.
Given prior to and as maintenance post transplant
What is TIPS?
Procedure that uses imaging guidance to connect the portal vein to the hepatic vein in the liver.
A stent is placed to keep the connection open and allow it to bring blood draining from the bowel back to the heart while avoiding the liver.
Terlipressin
Synthetic vasopressin analogue
Relative specificity for the splanchnic circulation where it causes vasoconstriction in these vessels with a reduction in portal pressure.
Positive AMA - what condition is likely?
Primary biliary cholangitis
PBC - M rule
IgM
anti-mitochondrial antibodies, M2 subtype
Middle aged females
What should you think if you see markedly elevated ALP?
Bile duct pathology
Sulphasalazine
- What is it made up of?
- SE
Ccombination of sulphapyridine (a sulphonamide) and 5-ASA
many side-effects are due to the sulphapyridine moiety: rashes, oligospermia, headache, Heinz body anaemia, megaloblastic anaemia, lung fibrosis
Mesalazine
A delayed release form of 5-ASA
sulphapyridine side-effects seen in patients taking sulphasalazine are avoided.
mesalazine is still however associated with side-effects such as GI upset, headache, agranulocytosis, pancreatitis*, interstitial nephritis
IBD - which one can methotrexate be used in?
Crohns
Visceral pain
innervated by autonomic NS (sympathetic branch)
T6-12 and L1-2 through splanchnic nerves
Dull ache, poorly localized, nausea
stretching/traction, distention, inflammation, ischaemia, spasm
Areas and where they are felt:
foregut - epigastric area
midgut - umbilical area
hindgut - suprapubic area
Parietal pain
Innervated by somatic NS
severe, well localized, persistent
Somatic pain
- where does it originate in?
- what dermatomes are involved?
- what sensation may stimulate this pain?
- how would you describe this pain?
Originates in parietal peritoneum
T5- L2 dermatomes
mechanical, chemical, thermal stimulation
sharp constant pain