Gastrointestinal Emergencies
Sterling Hospitals Gurukul Ahmedabad provides 24/7 emergency services for various gastrointestinal (GI) conditions such as
- Vomiting of blood
- Foreign body ingestion
- Abdominal pain
- Loose stools
- Hematemesis
- Haematochezia
- Abdominal distension
- Altered sensorium hepatic coma.
Our emergency room (ER) deals with a range of GI emergencies including swallowed foreign bodies like button batteries and coins, acute gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, acute pancreatitis, acute liver failure, cirrhosis of the liver with hepatic encephalopathy and hepatorenal syndrome, upper and lower GI bleeds, acute cholelithiasis, acute cholecystitis, and acute cholangitis.
In any emergency, our first priority is to assess and stabilize the airway, breathing, and circulation. All necessary investigations and basic blood samples are drawn simultaneously, and an intravenous line and electrocardiogram are taken. After stabilization of the airway, breathing, and circulation, pain management using analgesics and proton pump inhibitors is prioritized for GI emergencies like cholelithiasis, cholangitis, pancreatitis, gastritis, and peptic ulcer disease.
Initial fluid resuscitation in the ER is crucial for patients with hypotension and septic shock in cases of pancreatitis, cholangitis, and cholecystitis. For massive upper and lower GI bleeds, achieving hemodynamic stability using blood and blood products, along with fluid resuscitation and ionotropic support, begins in the ER followed by endoscopy and colonoscopy.
Initiating antibiotics within the first hour is crucial in the ER for conditions like cholangitis, acute calculus cholecystitis, and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. In the case of hepatic encephalopathy treatment, the aim is to increase excretion of nitrogenous wastes using lactulose after A, B, C stabilization, followed by correction of coagulopathies. Neuroimaging is also required to rule out bleeding.
Finally, radiological imaging and immediate consultation with a gastroenterologist are crucial for the endoscopic removal of foreign bodies that are ingested, such as buttons, batteries, and coins.
