Acute Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Acute gastrointestinal bleeding is a common problem managed by the acute care surgeon. A structured approach to evaluation, management, and treatment is recommended. Resuscitation is the first and most important step, followed by identification of the bleeding site. History and physical exam can help determine the severity and any potential sources of the bleed. Any medical management is based on the etiology of the GI bleed. Typically, an upper gastrointestinal bleeding source can be diagnosed and treated with upper endoscopy. Endoscopic, angiographic, and surgical techniques are used to manage lower gastrointestinal bleeding and determine the source of bleeding and treatment. Specific algorithms are based on location and severity of the bleeding and recurrence.