Surgery | Common Surgical Conditions | General Surgery: Gastrointestinal Haemorrhage - Lower

General Surgery: Gastrointestinal Haemorrhage Lower
Session Overview
Description
This session will describe the approach to the patient with suspected lower gastrointestinal haemorrhage including immediate management, investigation, aetiology and definitive treatment.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Describe the acute assessment and initial resuscitation of lower gastrointestinal (GI) haemorrhage
• List the causes of lower GI haemorrhage
• Describe and apply relevant investigations
• Describe definitive management

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should have knowledge of:

• The anatomy of the GI tract
• The clotting cascade and anticoagulant therapy

Lower GI haemorrhage refers to bleeding originating from any site distal to the ligament of Treitz (Fig 1) and is a common surgical emergency.

Patients typically present with haematochezia (passing bright red blood and/or clots per rectum). In severe cases, they may present in shock.

The mortality rate is 2-4%.

In 80-85% of patients, bleeding will settle spontaneously [1](read details regarding the reference).