Anal and Rectal Lesions Flashcards

1
Q

What are causes of haemorrhoids?

A
  • Constipation w/ prolonged straining
  • Congestion from a pelvic tumour, pregnancy, CCF, or portal hypertension are important in only a minority of cases
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2
Q

What are clinical features of haemorrhoids?

A
  • Bright red rectal bleeding, often coating stools or on tissue or in pan
  • May be mucous discharge and pruritus ani
  • Severe anaemia can occur
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3
Q

What 3 things should be done in patient with rectal bleeding?

A
  • Abdominal examination
  • PR examination (internal haemorrhoids not palpable)
  • Colonoscopy / Flexi sigmoidoscopy to exclude proximal pathology if >50yrs
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4
Q

How can haemorrhoids be classified?

A
  • External → originate below dentate line / prone to thrombosis / may be painful
  • Internal → originate above the dentate line / do not generally cause pain
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5
Q

How do you grade internal haemorrhoids?

A
  • Grade I → do not prolapse out of anal canal
  • Grade II → prolapse on defecation but reduce spontaneously
  • Grade III → can be manually reduced
  • Grade IV → cannot be reduced
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6
Q

What is the management of haemorrhoids?

A
  • Soften stools → inc dietary fibre + fluids
  • Topical local anaesthetics + steroids to help symptoms
  • Outpt treatments → rubber band ligation is superior to injection sclerotherapy
  • Surgery → reserved for large symptomatic haemorrhoids which do not respond to outpatient treatments
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7
Q

What are key features of acutely thrombosed external haemorrhoids?

A
  • Present w/ significant pain
  • O/E → purpulish, oedematous, tender subcutaneous perianal mass
  • If pt presents < 72hrs → referral for excision
  • Otherwise pts can be managed w/ stool softeners, ice packs + analgesia
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8
Q

What is an anorectal fistula?

A
  • Communication between anorectal canal and perianal skin that is lined w/ granulation tissue
  • Common in → anorectal abscess / Crohn’s / TB / diverticulitis
  • Fistula may harbour chronic infection, which may discharge continuously or intermittently through opening onto skin
  • Severe cases → faecal material may also pass through the tunnel and cause soiling of underwear and skin irritation
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9
Q

What is the treatment for anorectal fistulae?

A

Fistulotomy and excision

  • High fistulae (involving continence muscles of anus) require ‘seton suture’ tightened over time to maintain continence
  • Low fistulae are ‘laid open’ to heal by secondary intention
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10
Q

How might anorectal abscess present?

A
  • Severe perianal pain and swelling
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Urinary retention

Usually caused by gut organisms

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11
Q

What are features of anal fissures?

A
  • Painful tear in squamous lining of lower anal canal
  • Often, if chronic, w/ a ‘sentinel pile’ or mucosal tag at the external aspect
  • 90% are posterior
  • Most are due to hard faeces
  • Rare causes → syphilis / herpes / trauma / Crohn’s / anal cancer
  • Groin nodes suggest complicating factor (eg. immunosuppression)
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12
Q

What is the treatment for anal fissues?

A
  • 5% lidocaine ointment + GTN ointment or topical diltiazem
  • Dietary fibre, fluids, stool softener + hygiene advice
  • If conservative measures fail → surgical options incl lateral partial internal sphincterotomy
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13
Q

What are the borders of anal canal?

A
  • Anal cancer lies exclusively in anal canal
  • Borders of which are anorectal junction and anal margin
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14
Q

What are key features of anal cancer?

A
  • Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs)
  • Lymph drainage varies in different parts
    • anal margin tumours → inguinal lymph nodes
    • more proximal tumours → pelvic lymph nodes
  • Relatively rare; incidence 1.5 in 100,000 but rising, esp amongst MSM
  • Average age of presentation is 85-89 Y
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15
Q

What is the clinical presentation of anal cancer?

A
  • Perianal pain
  • Perianal bleeding
  • Palpable lesion
  • Faecal incontinence
  • Neglected tumour in female may present w/ rectovaginal fistula
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16
Q

What is the management of anal cancer?

A
  • Chemo-irriadiation → radiotherapy + flurouracil + cisplatin
  • Usually preferred to anorectal excision and colostomy
  • 75% retain normal anal function
17
Q

What is rectal prolapse?

A
  • Occurs when a mucosal or full-thickness layer of rectal tissue protrudes through the anal orifice
  • Problems w/ faecal incontinence, constipation + rectal ulceration common

3 clinical entities → a) full-thickness rectal prolapse, b) mucosal prolapse and c) internal prolapse

18
Q

What is full-thickness rectal prolapse?

A
  • Protrusion of full thickness of rectal wall through anus
  • Most common
19
Q

What is mucosal prolapse?

A

Protrusion of only rectal mucosa from anus

20
Q

What is internal prolapse?

A
  • May be full-thickness or a partial rectal wall disorder
  • But prolapsed tissue does not pass beyond the anal canal
  • Does not pass out of anus
21
Q

What are causes of rectal prolapse?

A
  • Lax sphincter
  • Prolonged straining
  • Related to chronic neurological and psychological disorders
22
Q

What are the two management approaches to rectal prolapse?

A
  • Abdominal approach → fix rectum to sacrum (rectopexy) +/- mesh insertion
  • Perineal approach → Delorme’s procedure (Resect close to dentate line and suture mucosal boundaries), anal encirclement with a Thiersch wire