Undifferentiated lower gastrointestinal bleeding

Background

• Loss of blood from the GI tract distal to the ligament of Treitz
• Upper GI bleeds are most common source for blood detected in the lower GI system
• 80% of lower GI bleeding will resolve spontaneously
• Cause of bleeding found in <50% of cases

Clinical Features

• Type of blood
  • Hematochezia
    • Bright red or maroon-colored bleeding that comes from the rectum
    • Usually represents lower GI bleeding
    • May represent UGIB if bleeding is brisk
      • Usually accompanied by hematemesis and hemodynamic instability
  • Melena
    • Usually represents bleeding from upper GI source
    • May represent bleeding from lower GI source due to slow bleeding
• Medications
  • Salicylates, NSAIDs, warfarin

Differential Diagnosis

Undifferentiated lower gastrointestinal bleeding

• Upper GI Bleeding
• Diverticular disease
  • Diverticulosis
  • Diverticulitis
• Vascular ectasia / angiodysplasia
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Infectious colitis
• Mesenteric Ischemia / ischemic colitis
• Meckel's diverticulum
• Colorectal cancer / polyps
• Hemorrhoids
  • Internal hemorrhoid
  • External hemorrhoid
• Aortoenteric fistula
  • Nearly 100% mortality if untreated
  • Consider in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and known abdominal aortic aneurysms or aortic grafts
• Rectal foreign body
• Rectal ulcer (HIV, Syphilis, STI)
• Anal fissure

Diagnosis

Workup

• CBC
• Chemistries
  • BUN may be elevated if bleeding occurs from site high in GI tract
• Coags
• LFTs
• Type and screen
• ECG (if concern for silent ischemia in pts likely to have CAD)
• CTA
  • Requires brisk bleeding rate (0.5 cc/min) for detectio

Physical Exam

• Consider:
  • Anoscopy if source of bleeding cannot be identified on external exam
  • Proctoscopy (22cm from anal verge)
  • Sigmoidoscopy (60cm from anal verge)

False Positive Guaiac

1. Red meat
2. Red jello
3. Fruit and vegetables
   • Melon, broccoli, radish, beets
4. Iron (causes GI bleed by irritation)

Management

• IVF
• Consider pRBCs/platelets for unstable and low H/H
• Consider NGT - high possibility for surgery to request
• Hematochezia unexpectedly originates from upper GI source 10-15% of cases
• Emergent Sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy (next 24 hours)
• Surgery if endoscopy fails or not available

Major Bleed and Supratheraputic INR

• Correct coagulopathy
  • Vitamin K 10 mg IV (best availability in critical pt)
  • FFP

Disposition

• Discharge:
  • Bleeding from hemorrhoids, anal fissures, or known IBD (hemodynamically stable)
  • No gross blood on rectal exam (hemodynamically stable)
• Admission:
  • Melena, significant anemia, hemodynamic instability

See Also

Upper GI Bleeding