Surg: Logic? - ben

[ArchivalUser]

Why are we able to perform an Upper GI Endoscopy (once it is cinfrimed that the bleed is in the Upper GI via NG aspiration) in an actlively bleeding Pt but not able to do colonscopy in an actively bleedind Pt w/ Lower GI Bleed?

[ArchivalUser]

coz all you would see in a lower gi bleed is more blood if you do a colonoscopy. you are putting in the instrument a point downstream from the bleed, so the blood would be coming towards the instrument.

with upper gi- your intstrument is upstream..blood flows away from the instrument, so its easier to visualize the actual site of the lesion.

[ArchivalUser]

lower gi bleed is often due to diverticulitis and they often perforate when you put the scope.
upper gi bleed, there are nothing that you can perforate and scopy is often for therapy as well

[ArchivalUser]

other thing could be treatability of lesion, banding for varices and cryotherapy for bleeding ulcer. But interventions cant be done in most lower GI pathologies.