Gastrointestinal bleeding

Upper GI bleeding

• Between the pharynx and the ligament of Trietz which connects the fourth portion of the duodenum to the diaphragm
• Causes of upper GI bleeding;
  • Oesophageal
    • Varices
    • Oesophagitis
    • Oesophageal carcinomas
    • Mallory Weiss tear
  • Gastric
    • Varices
    • Gastric ulcer
    • Gastric carcinoma
    • Gastritis
  • Duodenal
    • Dueodenal ulcer
    • Vascular malfomations including aorto-enteric fistulae

Lower GI bleeding

• Causes;
  • Coagulopathy
  • Colitis – Crohn’s, UC, infectious
  • Carcinoma
  • Diverticula
  • Anal fissure
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Angiodyplasia – malformations of the vessels in the wall of the gut