Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Common Gastrointestinal
Disorders
• Mallory–Weiss tears
– Laceration of the distal esophagus, gastroesophageal
junction, and cardia of the stomach
– Heavy alcohol use, binge drinking, forceful
vomiting/retching, or violent coughing
• Dieulafoy’s lesions
– Vascular malformations, usually in the
proximal
stomach
• History
– History of PUD, dyspepsia, alcohol, smoking,
vomiting/retching, NSAIDs or ASA
• Physical examination
– Hemodynamic stability, VS, orthostatics, tissue
perfusion, LOC
– Abdominal exam, rectal exam
• Low H & H
• Mild leukocytosis and hyperglycemia
• High BUN
• Hypernatremia, hypokalemia
• Prolonged PT/PTT
• Thrombocytopenia
• Hypoxemia
• Diverticulosis
– Sac-like protrusions in the colon; arteries are prone
to injury.
– Risk factors: diet low in fiber, ASA/NSAIDs, advanced
age, and constipation
• Angiodysplasia/AV malformation
– Dilated, tortuous submucosal veins, small AV
communications, or enlarged arteries
– Occurs anywhere in the colon and can be
venous or
arterial bleed
• History
– Peptic ulcer disease, inflammatory bowel disease,
renal/liver disease
– Medication, color and consistency of stool, abdominal
pain, fever, rectal urgency, weight loss
– Change in bowel habits
• Physical examination
– VS, palpable mass, rectal exam
• CBC
• Electrolytes
• BUN and creatinine
• PT/PTT
• Type and cross-match
• Medical management
– NPO, NGT, IVF, electrolyte repletion, I & Os, TPN,
central line
– Monitor for S & S of sepsis, perforation, ischemia,
necrosis, gangrene
• Surgical management
– Strangulated bowel, volvulus, incarceration, or
closed
loop obstructions need immediate surgery.
– Lysis of adhesions, resection, ostomy, bowel
decompression
• Labs
– Elevated serum amylase and lipase, electrolyte
imbalance, hyperglycemia, LFTs elevated with
concurrent liver disease, elevated ALT and alkaline
phosphatase with biliary disease
• Imaging studies
– Radiographs exclude other causes.
– CT is the preferred test.
– MRCP for bile duct stones, ERCP locates and
removes
stones.
• Noninfectious hepatitis
– Excessive alcohol use
– Autoimmune disorders
– Metabolic or vascular disorders (right-sided HF)
– Acute biliary obstruction
– Medications (Tylenol, isoniazid, HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitors, anticonvulsants, antimicrobials, alpha-
methyldopa, amiodarone, and estrogens)
• Highly contagious
• Classified according to specific infecting agent and
corresponding serology markers
– Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E
• HSV, EBV, CMV, adenovirus, coxsackievirus B, VZV
• Present with nonspecific flu-like symptoms
• Systems more severe in hepatitis B
• Treatment is supportive.
• Rest, hold harmful medications.
• Monitor hemodynamic status.
• Monitor hepatic enzymes, electrolytes.
• Strict I & O, daily weight, abdominal girth
• High-calorie, low-protein diet
• Monitor for bleeding.
• Avoid alcohol, narcotics, barbiturates.
• Treat encephalopathy.
• Hepatic encephalopathy
– Caused by accumulation of toxic agents absorbed in
intestinal tract
– Limit protein intake, lactulose, neomycin, or
metronidazole.
• Hepatorenal syndrome
– Often fatal: treatment is supportive.
• Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
– Infected ascitic fluid, treat with broad-
spectrum
antibiotics.