PANCE Blueprint GI and Nutrition (9%)

• There is usually a marked reduction in or total absence of appetite, often associated with nausea, and occasionally, vomiting and low-grade fever
• Most common etiology: Fecalith
• As the inflammation increases, the abdominal pain tends to move downward - begins in epigastrium → umbilicus → RLQ
• Right lower quadrant= "McBurney's point." This "rebound tenderness" suggests inflammation has spread to
  the peritoneum

Signs:

• Rovsing – RLQ pain with palpation of LLQ
• Obturator sign – RLQ pain with internal rotation of the hip
• Psoas sign - RLQ pain with hip extension

Clinical diagnosis:

• Imaging if atypical presentation - appy ultrasound or abdominal CT scan
• CBC - neutrophilia supports the diagnosis

TX: surgical appendectomy

• Symptoms usually occur following the ingestion of gluten-containing food. Also, has extraintestinal manifestations.
  • Diarrhea, steatorrhea, flatulence, weight loss, weakness, and abdominal distention
• Associated with dermatitis herpetiformis (chronic, itchy skin rash on elbow, knees, butt, scalp)
• Associated conditions: T1DM, autoimmune hepatitis, autoimmune thyroid DZ, down, turner, Williams syndrome, increased incidence of small bowel lymphoma

Diagnosis:

• IgA anti-endomysial (EMA) and anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-TTG) antibodies
• Small bowel biopsy (duodenum) is the gold standard

Treatment: Lifelong gluten-free diet

Small bowel obstruction

• Colicky abdominal pain, nausea, bilious vomiting, obstipation, abdominal distention
• Hyperactive bowel sounds (early) or hypoactive bowel sounds (late), prior abdominal surgery
• Dehydration + electrolyte imbalances
• MCC: adhesions or hernias, cancer, IBD, volvulus, and intussusception
• KUB shows dilated loops of bowel with air-fluid levels with little or no gas in the colon

Large bowel obstruction

• Gradually increasing abdominal pain with longer intervals between episodes of pain, abdominal distention, obstipation, less vomiting (feculent), more common in the elderly
• Febrile, tachycardia → shock
• Dehydration + electrolyte imbalances
• MCC: cancer, strictures, hernias, volvulus, and fecal impaction
• KUB shows dilated loops of bowel with air-fluid levels with little or no gas in the colon

Look for vomiting of partially digested food, severe abdominal distensions and high pitched hyperactive bowel sounds progressing to silent bowel sounds.

KUB shows dilated loops of bowel with air-fluid levels with little or no gas in the colon

Dilated loops of bowel and air-fluid levels in the abdomen

Treatment: Bowel rest, NG tube placement, surgery as directed by underlying cause

• The main concern is malignant transformation, which occurs at different rates depending on the size and type of polyp
  • Distal colon are commonly benign if seen in the proximal colon they are more likely to be cancerous
  • The larger the colonic polyp, the greater the risk of malignant transformation
  • Villous adenomas have a 30-70% risk of malignant transformation
  • The greater the number of concomitant colonic polyps, the greater the risk of malignant transformation
• Most common cause of painless rectal bleeding in the pediatric population
• Once identified follow-up colonoscopy in 3-5 years

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) - is characterized by the development of hundreds to thousands of colonic adenomatous polyps

• Colorectal polyps develop by mean age of 15 years and cancer at 40 years
• First-degree relatives of patients with FAP should undergo genetic screening after age 10 years
• The family should undergo yearly sigmoidoscopy beginning at 12 years of age