Lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage: etiologic assessment and surgical concept
Schilling, M.K.; Scheurer, U.; Büchler, M.W.
Zentralblatt für Chirurgie 123(12): 1400-1404
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0044-409X PMID: 10063553 Document Number: 485858
Due to its occurence in patients at higher ages with comorbidities, lower gastrointestinal bleeding remains a challenge in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In this series (1994-1997, n = 40) the source of bleeding was in the upper gastrointestinal tract in 38% and in the lower gastrointestinal tract in 62%. The source of bleeding could be localized in 58%. Bleeding stopped spontaneously in 40% of all patients but 60% required intervention (54% radiologic or endoscopic intervention, 46% surgery). Segmental resection was the procedure most frequently employed (8/11 patients), 3 patients underwent a subtotal colectomy. In-hospital mortality and surgical morbidity were 0/11 each. Following a staged diagnostic approach and segmental surgical resection, lower gastrointestinal bleeding can be treated with a low morbidity, mortality and a low rebleeding rate.