L OWER G ASTRO INTESTINAL BLEEDING BY , M.A KAVINILAVU S . JEGATHEESHWARI
Lower GI bleeding is define d as abnormal hemorrhage into the lumen of the bowel from a source distal to the ligament of Treitz
Epidemiology Overall mortality <5%. [Frequency and severity of UGIB >LGIB] LGIB is more common in women > men. Incidence and prevalence related to specific etiologies More than 80% of lower GI bleeds will stop spontaneously, and overall mortality has been noted to be 2% to 4% .
INCIDENCE Lower GI bleeds: 20% to 30% of all patients presenting with major GI bleeding. The incidence is higher in older patients and multiple medications. Approximately, 80% to 85% originate distal to the ileocaecal valve, with only 0.7% to 9% originating from the small intestine. The remaining cases usually begin in the upper GI tract. Present with brisk bleeding, melena , or bright red blood per rectum.
Categorizatio n base d o n severity Massive Moderate Mild
Causes in children Anal Fissure Infectious Colitis IBD Crohn’s Disease Ulcerative Colitis Polyps Intussusception Meckel’s Diverticulum (embryonic diverticulum) Pseudomembransous Colitis
Histo r y chronicity of bleeding and medication use . anti coagulants such as warfarin. low molecular weight heparin. inhibitors of platelet aggregation such as NSAID clopidrogel this can associated with mesentric ischemia
History Use of digitalis can associated with mesenteric ischemia Comorbid medical conditions like cardiac conditions. Family history of colorectal cancer Coagulopathy
Sign s an d Symptoms Hematochezia (most often painless) Anemia Occult blood in stool Rarely melena (UGIB most common) Normal Bowel Sounds, Normal Renal Function (BUN/Cr) Nasogastric aspirate usually clear
M assive upper gastrointestinal bleed can present with hematochezia. An NG aspirate that contains bile and no blood effectively rules out upper tract bleeding in most patients. Majority of cases bleeding regresses spontaneosly
Outcome depends on risk stratification Predictors of poor outcome in lower GI bleed Hemodynamic instability Ongoing hematochezia Presence of comorbid illness
CONDITIONS WITH RECTAL BLEEDING BUT NO PAIN: Blood mixed with stool :colon carcinoma Blood streak on stool:rectal carcinoma Blood after defaecation : haemorrhoids Blood and mucus: colitis Blood alone diverticular disease Melaena:peptic ulcer
PAIN AND BLEEDING: Fissures PAIN, LUMP AND BLEEDING: Prolapsed haemorrhoids Carcinoma of the anal canal Prolapsed rectal polyp or carcinoma Prolapsed rectum
Manangeme n t Includes Identification of site of bleeding Stopping the bleeding and treating the cause Digital rectal examination should be done to exclude anorectal pathology as well as confirm the patient’s description of stool color.
Investigations CBC - Anemia, Infection, Thrombocytopenia, Protein Levels, Iron, Crossmatch Coagulation Hemoccult and Stool cultures ECG
Radiological investigations Abdominal X rays Angiography Radionuclide scintigraphy Technetium Sulfur Colloid 99mTc pertechnate-labeled RBC Multidetector row CT (MDCT) Barium studies have no role in lower GI bleeding
Colonoscopy Usually done after stabilizing the patient Provide both diagnosis and hemostasis Better than Sigmoidoscopy The diagnostic yield of urgent colonoscopy in between 75-97% , depending on the definition of the bleeding source, patient selection criteria, and timing of colonoscopy
Bowel preparation Recent studies have suggested that performi a ng colonoscopy shortly after presentation is advantageous
Criteria for identifying site of bleeding on colonoscopy Active colonic bleeding Adherent clot Fresh blood localized to a colonic segment Ulceration of diverticulum with fresh blood in adjoining area Absence of fresh bleed in terminal ileum with fresh blood in the colon
Screening of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps is Asymptomatic men and women ≥ 50 years of age Screening for colorectal cancer
Low-risk individuals : Complete colonoscopy (gold standard) : Repeat every 10 years if no polyps or Carcinoma Annual fecal occult blood test ( FOBT): Sigmoidoscopy every 5 years and FOBT every 3 y Annual fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) CT colonography every 5 years
Histology of removed polyp Recommended interval until next control colonoscopy Hyperplastic Polyp < 10 mm in size in the rectum or sigmoid 10 years Low risk ademoma : 1–2 tubular polyps < 10 mm in size and without intraepithelial Neoplasia (IEN) 5–10 years High risk adenoma 3–10 tubular polyps 1 polyp ≥ 10 mm 1 villous or tubulovillous polyp 1 tubular polyp with high-grade dysplasia 3 years More than 10 adenoma < 3 years; depends on the case (i.e., family history) Surveillance following Polypectomy
High-risk individuals Complete colonoscopy 10 years earlier than the index patient's age at diagnosis or no later than 40 years of age
Lynch syndrome and FAP syndrome Colonoscopy: every 1–2 years, starting at 20–25 years of age, or 2–5 years before the earliest recorded case in family whichever comes first Annual upper endoscopy with biopsy of the gastric antrum starting at 30–35 years of age Annual physical exam and urinylasis
Video Capsule Endoscopy Capsule endoscopy uses a small capsule with a video camera that is swallowed and acquires video images as it passes through the GI tract. This modality permits visualization of the entire GI tract, but offers no interventional capability. It is also very time consuming
Visualizes entire gastrointestinal tract in real time The two balloons inflate and deflate intermittently creating a peristaltic movement so that the scope can move forward Double balloon endoscopy
Intraoperative Endoscopy Intraoperative enteroscopy is reserved for patients who have transfusion-dependent obscure-overt bleeding in whom an exhaustive search has failed to identify a bleeding source. This typically uses a pediatric colonoscope introduced through an enterotomy in the small bowel made by the surgeon.
Abdomina l X rays Perforation Obstruction “Thumb-printing” = Ischemic/Infectious Colitis Megacolon
Angiograph Both diagnostic and therapeutic Requires a bleeding rate of at least 0.5 to 1.0 ml/min Done in hemodynamically unstable patients Reserved for massive bleeding
Vasopressin was the first therapeutic modality Major complications occurred in 10% to 20% of patients and included arrhythmias, pulmonary edema, hypertension and ischemia Re bleeding occurred in up to 50% of patients Earlier embolization was associated with infraction Technologic advances in coaxial microcatheters and embolic materials have enabled the embolization of specific distal arterial branches with increased success and fewer complications
Radionuclide scintigraphy Non-invasive Done as screening before angiography More sensitive Detects bleeding as low as 0.1 ml/min Major disadvantage false localisation Two methods are used Technetium Sulfur Colloid 99mTc pertechnate-labeled RBC
Tc-99m Red Blood Cells Tc-99m RBCs remain in the vascular compartment In vitro or modified in vivo labeling of RBC is done Allows continuous monitoring of the whole gastrointestinal tract for a long period False-positive readings due to misinterpretation of intravascular activity and the possibility of free pertechnetate accumulation sensitivity and specificity of this method are very high
Tc-99m sulfur colloid Rapid blood clearance of this tracer from circulation allows for increased detection at very low bleeding rates (0.05 to 0.1 ml/min) Detects bleeding only up to 15 minutes after intravenous injection
Multidetector Row CT (MDCT) Show contrast extravasation into any portion of the gastrointestinal tract Detects bleeding rates as low as 0.3 to 0.5 ml per minute The average yield of MDCT for lower GI bleed Is 60%, with yields ranging from 25% to 95%. Lack of therapeutic capability is a major limitation Useful in guiding further:angioembolisation
Advantages and disadvantages of common diagnostic procedures used in the evaluation of lower gastrointestinal bleeding Procedure Advantages Disadvantages Colonoscopy - Bowel preparation required Can be difficult to orchestrate without on call endoscopy facilities or staff Invasive Angiograp h y Therapeutic possibilities Diagnostic for all sources of bleeding Needed to confirm diagnosis in most patients regardless of initial testing Efficient/cost - effective No bowel preparation needed Therapeutic possibilities May be superior for patients with severe bleeding Radionuc l ide scintigraphy Noninvasive Requires active bleeding at the time of the exam Less sensitive to venous bleeding Diagnosis must be confirmed with endoscopy/surgery Serious complications are possible Variable accuracy (false positives) Sensitive to low rates of bleeding No bowel preparation Easily repeated if bleeding recurs Flexible sig m oidoscopy Diagnostic and therapeutic Not therapeutic May delay therapeutic intervention Diagnosis must be confirmed with endoscopy/surgery Visualizes only the left colon Minimal bowel preparation Colonoscopy or other test usually necessary to rule out right- sided lesions Easy to perform
Conclusions: Post-interventional LGIB was effectively addressed by LE. For other causes of LGIB, CTA was efficient, and more available than colonoscopy. Treatment was conservative for most patients. In case of active bleeding, CTA could localize the bleeding source and predict the need for surgery.
References Bailey’s and Love Short Practice of Surgery, 26 th Edition Hammilton Bailey’s Demonstration of physical sign in clinical Surgery 19 th Edition Clerc et al. World Journal of Emergency Surgery (2017) 12:1 DOI 10.1186/s13017-016-0112-3 Edelman, D.A., Sugawa , C. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a review. Surg Endosc 21, 514–520 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-006-9191-7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/n/statpearls/article-22103 Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Don C. Rockey DOI: https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2005.11.042 https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/screening-tests- https://www.amboss.com/us/knowledge/Colorectal_cancerused.html https://www.amboss.com/us/knowledge/Lynch_syndrome#xid=fS0k_2&anker=Z223291f8ddc1791ddb38550c25b8a05c