[Acute "difficult" gastrointestinal bleeding]

Ther Umsch. 2006 May;63(5):311-9. doi: 10.1024/0040-5930.63.5.311.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Gastrointestinal bleeding with its point of origin outside the reach of conventional gastro- and colonoscopy represents an extraordinary diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Bleeding may originate from the small bowel distal to the duodenojejunal junction (middle gastrointestinal bleeding) or from the biliary tree (haemobilia) or from the pancreatic ductal system (haemosuccus pancreaticus). This particular type of gastrointestinal bleeding is often intermittend and caused by a variety of different pathologies. Angiography is the diagnostic method of choice for further investigation. It allows precise localization of the bleeding site and simultaneous interventional therapy (embolization/coiling). The importance of further diagnostic modalities such as scintigraphy, capsule endoscopy, push-enteroscopy and double-balloon-enteroscopy is discussed.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Critical Care / methods*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / diagnosis*
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / therapy*
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'
  • Risk Assessment / methods*
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index