Step up to Medicine- GI Flashcards
(94 cards)
Hemochromatosis (AR d/o) -defect in iron absorption leading to increased iron which will deposit in different organs. Pt is usu asymptomatic with mild elevation of ALT and AST levels. What to do to diagnose?
- obtain iron studies.
- if iron is elevated, order a liver biopsy to confirm
How do you clinically stage colorectal cancer?
clinical staging done with CT scan of chest, abdomen, pelvis and by PE (ascites, hepatomegaly, LAD)
What’s the most common cause of large bowel obstruction in adults?
colorectal cancer
Right sided vs left sided colorectal cancer.
Right-sided colorectal cancer: melena, obstructionis unusual b/c cecum has the largest luminal diameter, occult blood in stool, iron deficiency anemia, changes in bowel habits uncommon
*triad of anemia, weakness and RLQ mass
Left-sided colorectal cancer: more signs of obstruction 2/2 to smaller lumen, changes in bowel habits more common (alternating constipation/diarrhea, narrowing of stools -pencil stools), hematochezia
Rectal cancer makes up 20-30% of all colorectal cancers. Rectal cancer has a higher recurrence rate and lower 5-yr survival rate. List symptoms
hemtochezia, tenesmus, and rectal mass
Surgery is only curative treatment of colorectal cancer. Follow-up is impt! What is part of the follow-up work-up post-surgery for colorectal cancer? Follow-up is impt b/c about 90% of recurrences occur in the first 3 years.
- stool guaiac test
- annual CT of abdomen/pelvis and CXR for up to 5 years
- colonoscopy at 1 year and then every 3 years
- CEA levels every 3-6 months (elevations are sensitive indicators for recurrence, too high can indicate liver involvement)
Colonic polyps: nonneoplastic vs adenamatous. List the 3 non-neoplastic and treatments
Non-neoplastic:
1) hyperplastic (metaplastic polyps): most common (90%), generally remain small and asymptomatic , no specific requirement but usu removed b/c hard to distinguish from adenamatous
2) juvenile polyps
- typically in children younger than 10 & are highly vascular, should remove
3) inflammatory polyps
- “pseudopolyps” are assoc with ulcerative colitis
Colonic polyps: nonneoplastic vs adenamatous. List the 3 adenamatous and treatments
Adenamatous polyps:
1) Tubular (most common) -SMALLEST risk of malignancy
2) Tubulovillous -intermediate risk
3) villous -greatest risk
Treatment for all 3 = removal
Diverticolosis: due to increased intraluminal pressure leading to pouches in the colon wall. What are the risk factors? The most common location?
risk factors: increasin age, lower-fiber diets, positive family history
most common site is sigmoid colon
What is the test of choice for diverticolosis?
Barium enema
*x rays are usu normal therefore not diagnostic
Treatment of diverticulosis (symptoms: vague LLQ discomfort, bloating, constip/diarrhea)
- high fiber foods
- psyllium
A complication of diverticolosis is painless rectal bleeding. Usually it’s clinically insignificant and you don’t do anything for it. But 5% experience severe bleeding. What do you do then?
- even when it’s severe, in most cases, it resolves spontaneously
- colonoscopy may be performed to locate site and mesenteric angiography
- if bleeding is persistent and/or recurrent, surgery may be needed (segmental colectomy)
A complication of diverticolosis is diverticulitis affecting 15-25% of patients. It happens when feces become impacted in the diverticulum leading to erosion and microperforation. What is the diagnostic imaging for diverticulitis?
CT of abdomen and pelvis with oral and IV contrast -reveals a swollen, edematous bowel wall or an abscess
uncomplicated diverticulitis treatment
IV abx, bowel rest (NPO), IV fluids
What are some complications associated with diverticulitis?
- abscess formation (can be drained)
- colovesical fistula
- obstruction
- free colonic perforation
treatment is surgery
Clinical features of diverticulitis:
LLQ pain, fever, leukocytosis
Angiodysplasia of the Colon aka arteriovenous malformations/vascular ectasia -what is it? causes what problems? treatment? dx?
AV malformations are tortuous dilated veins in submucosa of the colon wall that is a common cause of bleeding in pts over age 60. Bleeding is usually low-grade. Colonoscopy is diagnostic choice. It can be treated by colonoscopic coagulation
As many as 25% of pts with bleeding AV malformations have what other valvular abnormality?
aortic stenosis
If someone has severe abdominal pain disproportionate to physical findings, what should you suspect?
acute mesenteric ischemia
List some signs of intestinal infarction? If you suspect acute mesenteric ischemia, what levels should you check?
- hypotension, tachypnea, lactic acidosis, fever, altered mental status
- check lactate level!
What is the definitive diagnostic test for acute mesenteric ischemia?
mesenteric angiography
What is the therapy of choice for the arterial causes of acute mesenteric ischemia (embolic, arterial and non-occlusive)?
vasodilator called papaverine directly into SMA
Chronic mesenteric ischemia is caused by atherosclerotic occlusive disease of main mesenteric vessels. What are some symptoms
abdominal angina dull pain typically post-prandial
significant weight loss
What is the dx modality of choice to detect chronic mesenteric ischemia? What is the definitive treatment?
- mesenteric arteriography
- surgical revascularization is the definitive treatment of choice