General - presentations Flashcards
Bowel obstruction
Mechanical blockage of the bowel, whereby a structural pathology physically blocks the passage of intestinal contents
Once bowel segment has become occluded, gross dilatation of the proximal limb of the bowel occurs
There becomes an increased peristalsis of the bowel -> in turn leads to secretion of large volumes of electrolyte-rich fluid into the bowel
(when bowel is adynamic and not working properly, this typically either an ileus/pseudo-obstruction)
Closed loop obstruction
In patients with a mechanical bowel obstruction, if there is a second separate obstructing point proximally = closed-loop obstruction
Surgical emergency as if not corrected, the bowel will continue to distend within a closed segment of bowel -> stretching the bowel wall until it becomes ischaemic & this can further lead to perforation
Bowel obstruction aetiology
Small bowel – adhesions or hernia
Large bowel – malignancy, diverticular disease or volvulus
Intraluminal – gallstone ileus, ingested foreign body, faecal impaction
Mural – cancer, inflammatory strictures, intussusception, diverticular strictures, Meckel’s diverticulum, lymphoma
Extramural – hernias, adhesions, peritoneal metastasis, volvulus
Bowel obstruction clinical features
Abdominal pain – colicky/cramping in nature
Vomiting – early is proximal obstruction and late in distal obstruction
Abdominal distension
Absolute constipation – occurring early in distal obstruction & late is proximal obstruction
Examination – evidence of underlying cause, assess patient’s fluid status, palpate for focal tenderness, tinkling bowel sounds
Bowel obstruction investigations
Lab test – routine urgent bloods, group and save, venous blood gas
Imaging
- CT scan with intravenous contrast of the abdomen and pelvis is the imaging modality of choice in suspected bowel obstruction
- AXR is still used in some settings as the initial investigation for bowel obstruction
o Small bowel obstruction – dilated bowel (> 3cm), central abdominal location & valvulae conniventes visible (lines completely crossing the bowel)
o Large bowel obstruction – dilated bowel (> 6cm, or >9cm at caecum), peripheral location and haustral lines visible (lines not completely crossing the bowel)
Bowel obstruction conservative management
Absence of signs of ischaemia/perforation, initial management for cases of adhesional bowel obstruction is conservative – drip and suck management:
- Make the patient NBM and insert a NGT to decompress the bowel
- Start IV fluids and correct any electrolyte disturbances
- Urinary catheter and fluid balance
- Analgesia as required with suitable anti-emetics
Water soluble contrast study can be performed in cases that do not resolve initially with conservative management
Bowel obstruction surgical management
Surgical intervention is indicated in patients with:
- Suspicion of intestinal ischaemia or closed loop bowel obstruction
- Cause that requires surgical correction
- If patients fail to improve with conservative measures (typically after > 48 hours)
Generally will warrant a laparotomy, defunctioning stoma may be required if the re-joining of the obstructed bowel is not possible
Bowel obstruction complications
Bowel ischaemia
Bowel perforation – faecal peritonitis
Severely intravascularly fluid deplete – resulting in AKI and other end-organ injury if mismanaged
Haematemesis
Vomiting fresh blood, occurs as a result of bleeding occurring in any part of the upper gastrointestinal tract
Haematemesis differentials
Oesophageal varices
Peptic ulcer disease
Mallory-weiss tear
Oesophagitis
Other causes – gastric cancer or oesophageal cancer or vascular malformations
Haematemesis clinical features
Features of haematemesis – timing, frequency & volume
Associated symptoms – dyspepsia, dysphagia, melaena, weight loss
Past medical history – including the smoking and alcohol status
Drug history – use of steroids, NSAIDs, anticoagulants or bisphosphonates
Haematemesis investigations
Initial investigations – routine blood tests, to help investigate for underlying causes and to stratify patient risk, group and save requested
Further investigations – gastroscopy for further assessment, urgency by which an OGD is performed should be determined by the patients Glasgow-Blatchford bleeding score
- CT angiogram can be performed if OGD is normal and ongoing bleeding
Glasgow-blatchford bleeding score
Used to risk stratify patients admitting with an upper GI bleed, based purely on clinical and biochemical parameters
Allows for appropriate management of further investigations
Scores >/= 6 have been associated with a >50% risk of needing an intervention
Haematemesis management
A to E approach should be used to stabilise the patient
Most cases will warrant a gastroscopy from which a range of therapeutic options ar available depending on the underlying causes suspected or confirmed:
- Peptic ulcer disease – injections of adrenaline and cauterisation of the bleeding during endoscopy, then patients on high dose intravenous PPI therapy to reduce gastric acid secretion
- Oesophageal varices – management should be swift & performed at the same time as active resus (endoscopic banding)
Surgical intervention is rarely required in upper GI bleeds, where endoscopic and interventional treatments have failed
Dysphagia
Refers to difficulty in swallowing
Occurs from any abnormal delay in the transit of liquids or solids during the oropharyngeal or oesophageal stages of swallowing
Either a transient delay or a fixed delay
Dysphagia aetiology
Mechanical – oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer of head & neck cancer, benign oesophageal strictures, extrinsic compression, pharyngeal pouch, foreign body & oesophageal web
Motility – cerebrovascular accident, achalasia, diffuse oesophageal spasm, myasthenia gravis & muscular dystrophy
