Upper GI bleeding

Question 1

Define;

• Coffe-ground vomit
• Haematemesis
• Melaena

Answer 1

Coffe-ground vomit - dark brown, denatured blood vomit

Haemetemesis - vomiting of blood

Melaena - black motions, often like tar, characteristic smell

Question 2

What are common causes of upper GI bleeds?

What are some rarer causes?

Answer 2

• Peptic ulcers
• Mallory Weiss tear
• Oesophageal varices
• Gastritis/ gastric erosions
• Drugs (NSAIDs, aspirin, steroids, thrombolytics, anticoagulants)
• Oesophagitis
• Malignancy
• No obv cause

Some rarer causes;

• Bleeding causes
• Portal hypertensive gastropathy
• Aorto-enteric fistula