Hematochezia is the passage of maroon colored stool . It is distinguished from melena, which is stool with blood that has been altered by the gut flora 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.
In adults, most common causes are hemorrhoids and diverticulosis, both of which are re...
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Hematochezia is the passage of maroon colored stool . It is distinguished from melena, which is stool with blood that has been altered by the gut flora 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.
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 frequently 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 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....
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