MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia:GI bleeding

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GI bleeding - series: Procedure, part 1

GI bleeding - seriesIllustrations:

Procedure, part 1

The first step in the treatment of GI bleeding is to locate the source of the bleeding. Patients who have lost significant amounts of blood are transfused with blood.

Next, an endoscopy is used to locate the source of the bleeding. Upper endoscopy is generally performed first, and if no bleeding source is located, then lower endoscopy is performed. During an endoscopy, the patient is usually sedated but awake.

Update Date: 8/7/2007

Updated by: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Frankford-Torresdale Hospital, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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