Gastrointestinal bleeding is a symptom of a number of digestive system disorders.
The goal of diagnosis is to find the source of bleeding and determine how severe the condition is.
Diagnostic methods include:
- Blood tests;
- Confirmation of the presence of blood in the stool;
- Computed tomography;
- X-ray examination of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Upper abdominal endoscopy;
- Colonoscopy.
Some types of bleeding can be managed with drug therapy.
The goals of drug therapy are:
- Reducing the level of stomach acidity;
- Promoting normal blood clotting;
- Reducing swelling.
In a large percentage of clinical cases, gastrointestinal bleeding is treated directly during endoscopy or colonoscopy.
These methods can perform the following measures:
- Removal of pathological growths;
- Injection of medication to stop bleeding;
- Dissolution of the tissue causing bleeding with a special laser or gas.
In case of severe bleeding, emergency laparoscopic surgery is prescribed.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23391-gastrointestinal-gi-bleeding
