| Melena Classification and external resources |
|
| ICD-10 | K92.1 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 578.1 |
In medicine, melena or melaena refers to the black, "tarry" feces that are associated with gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify Diseases The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision ( ICD -10) is a coding of diseases and signs symptoms abnormal findings K00-K93 - Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K14 Diseases of oral cavity salivary glands and jaws ( Disorders of Tooth development and Eruption The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify Diseases The following is a list of codes for International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the Anus Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging / haemorrhaging (see American and British spelling differences) is the loss of Blood from The black color is caused by oxidation of the iron in hemoglobin during its passage through the ileum and colon. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Hemoglobin ( also spelled haemoglobin and abbreviated Hb or Hgb) is the Iron -containing Oxygen -transport Metalloprotein In Anatomy of the Digestive system, the ileum is the final section of the Small intestine. The colon is a storage tube for solid wastes The main function of the colon appears to be extraction of Water and salts from Feces.
Contents |
Melena vs. hematochezia
Bleeding originating from the lower GI tract (such as the sigmoid colon and rectum) is generally associated with the passage of bright red blood, or hematochezia, particularly when brisk. The sigmoid colon ( pelvic colon; sigmoid flexure) forms a loop which averages about 40 cm The rectum (from the Latin rectum intestinum, meaning straight intestine) is the final straight portion of the Large intestine in some Mammals Hematochezia is the passage of bright red Bloody stools from the Rectum. Blood acts as a cathartic agent in the intestine, promoting its prompt passage. In medicine a Cathartic is a substance which accelerates Defecation. Only blood that originates from a high source (such as the small intestine), or bleeding from a lower source that occurs slowly enough to allow for oxidation, is associated with melena. In Biology the small Intestine is the part of the Gastrointestinal tract (gut between the Stomach and the Large intestine, and comprises For this reason, melena is often associated with hemorrhage in the stomach or duodenum (upper gastrointestinal tract), for example by a peptic ulcer. Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging / haemorrhaging (see American and British spelling differences) is the loss of Blood from In Human anatomy, the stomach is a J-shaped hollow muscular organ of the Gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of Digestion, following In Anatomy of the Digestive system, the duodenum is a hollow jointed tube about 25-30 cm (10-12 in long connecting the Stomach to the Jejunum A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is an Ulcer (defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0 A rough estimate is that it takes about 14 hours for blood to be broken down within the intestinal lumen; therefore if transit time is less than 14 hours the patient will have hematochezia and if greater than 14 hours the patient will exhibit melena. One often-stated rule of thumb is that melena only occurs if the source of bleeding is above the ligament of Treitz. The suspensory muscle of the duodenum is the proper name of what is commonly known as the ligament of Treitz (named for Václav Treitz) and it refers to tissue that
Diagnosis
Patients present with signs of anemia. The presence of blood must be confirmed with either a positive hemoccult slide on rectal exam, frank blood on the examining finger, or a positive stool guaiac from the lab. If a source in the upper GI tract is suspected, an upper endoscopy can be performed to diagnose the cause. Lower GI bleeding sources usually present with hematochezia or frank blood. A test with poor sensitivity/specificity that may detect the source of bleeding is the tagged red blood cell scan, whereas mesenteric angiogram is the gold standard. Hence, the commonly referenced quote goes as follows: "when you go the bathroom it spells melana in the toilet. "
Causes
The most common cause of melena is peptic ulcer disease. A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is an Ulcer (defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0 Any other cause of bleeding from the upper gastro-intestinal tract, or even the ascending colon, can also cause melena. Melena may also be a sign of drug overdose if a patient is taking anti-coagulants, such as warfarin.
Melena is usually not a medical emergency because the bleeding is slow. A medical emergency is an Injury or Illness that is acute and poses an immediate risk to a person's life or long term health Urgent care however is required.
A less serious, self-limiting case of melena can occur in newborns two to three days after delivery, due to swallowed maternal blood.
See also
Dictionary
melena
-noun
- The passage of dark, tarry stools containing blood, as the result of upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic