title: Surgical management of lower gastrointestinal bleeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is any form of bleeding distal to the Ligament of Treitz. In most cases, acute LGIB is self-limited and resolves spontaneously with conservative management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Only a minority of approximately 10% is admitted to hospital with signs of massive bleeding and shock requiring resuscitation, urgent evaluation and treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the past decade, there has been a progressive decrease in upper GI events and a significant increase in lower GI events. Overall, mortality has also decreased, but in-hospital fatality due to upper or lower GI complications have remained constant. The problem is that LGIB can arise from a number of sources and may be a significant cause of hospitalisation and mortality in elderly patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After initial resuscitation, the diagnosis and treatment of LGIB remains a challenge for acute care surgeons, whereby the identification of the source of bleeding is of utmost importance.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery and Section for Surgical Research, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 29, 8036, Graz, Austria. johann.pfeifer@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfeifer
keywords: Angiography; Colonoscopy; Lower GI bleeding; Surgery
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