Gastroenterology

Nutrition

Nutrition is an important aspect of a patient’s health and is overlooked during medical school as you are learning exciting

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is a condition characterised by the inflammation of the pancreas. These patients are usually managed conservatively. Your aim is

Abdominal Pain

When you are on call, you will often get a bleep about a patient with abdominal pain. Abdominal pain can

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a relapsing and remitting inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which may be

Alcohol Withdrawal

Suddenly stopping alcohol intake in patients who have been drinking heavily for prolonged periods is dangerous and can lead to

Stomas

The word stoma comes from Greek to mean “an opening”. There are many types which are formed for a variety

Nasogastric Tubes

NG tubes are passed from the nose to the stomach. Depending on the material, they can stay between 2 to

Anaemia

Perhaps the most common blood test you will review daily will be the FBC (full blood count). You will commonly

Paracetamol Overdose

As an FY1, you will encounter these either during clerking shifts or you may look after them on the ward.

Upper GI bleed

These patients have the potential to become haemodynamically unstable extremely quickly; try to avoid delays in reviewing them. In-hospital mortality

Jaundice & Deranged LFTs

As the FY1, you will see patients with liver dysfunction either on the take or deranged LFTs when you are

Ascitic Tap and Drain

Ascitic aspiration (tap) is routinely performed for every patient admitted with ascites to identify the underlying cause. The most urgent

Abdominal X-rays

The advantages of AXRs are far less radiation to patients & that they’re logistically easy to organise out of hours.

Refeeding Syndrome

Defined as a collection of electrolyte abnormalities associated with a massive intracellular shift of electrolytes. Associated with aggressive nutritional rehabilitation

Chronic Pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis is characterised by repeated pancreatic inflammation. This leads to the destruction of pancreatic tissue leading to irreversible loss

PEG Tubes

PEG tubes are used as long term feeding options (and medication administration) for those in whom NG tubes are unsuitable

Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is a very common complaint and may be the reason for a patient’s admission, or develop as a new