Hematochezia

Hematochezia
Classification and external resources
ICD-9	578.1
DiseasesDB	19317

Hematochezia (or haematochezia; also hemochezia or haemochezia) is the passage of maroon-colored stool . It is distinguished from melena, which is stool with blood that has been altered by reaction with stomach acids and appears black/"tarry". It is also different from bright-red blood per rectum (BRBPR). Hematochezia is commonly associated with lower gastrointestinal bleeding, but may also occur from a brisk upper GI bleed.

Causes

In adults, most common causes are hemorrhoids and diverticulosis, both of which are relatively benign; however, it can also be caused by colorectal cancer, which is potentially fatal. In a newborn infant, hematochezia may be the result of swallowed maternal blood at the time of delivery, but can also be an initial symptom of necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious condition affecting premature infants. In babies, hematochezia in conjunction with abdominal pain is associated with intussusception. In adolescents and young adults, inflammatory bowel disease, particularly ulcerative colitis, is a serious cause of hematochezia that must be considered and excluded.

Hematochezia can be due to upper gastrointestinal bleeding. However, as the blood from such a bleed is usually chemically modified by action of acid and enzymes, it presents more commonly as melena. Hematochezia from an upper gastrointestinal source is an ominous sign, as it suggests a very significant bleed which is more likely to be life threatening.

See also

• Blood in stool

External links

• -181075913 at GPnotebook
• Case presentation
• 13 pages at medicinenet.com
• Hematochezia