title: [Management of rectorrhagia having uncertain origin].
abstract: Rectorrhagia is a very frequent reason for hospital and Primary Health Care medical visits. Its main problem is that it is made up of a very heterogeneous group of patients and a correct diagnosis is difficult to make. The main diagnostic test is the colonoscopy, and in severe cases, the arteriography. When these examinations do not provide the diagnosis, small intestine disease should be suspected. In most of the cases, rectorrhagia abates spontaneously or is controlled with conservative measures, and the subsequent treatment with depend on the etiology that caused the bleeding. The great problem arises in 0.5%-4% of rectorrhagies that do not abate and unstabilize the patient, emergency surgery due to the bleeding being required.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirugía, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, Murcia. ARZRIOS@teleline.es
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ríos
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parrilla
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D012007:Rectum