Abnormally dark tarry feces containing blood, usually from gastrointestinal bleeding.

Symptoms of Melaena

The following features are indicative of Melaena:
  • dark black stool
  • tarry feces
It is possible that Melaena shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.

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Common Causes of Melaena

The following are the most common causes of Melaena:
  • peptic ulcer disease
  • upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding
  • anticoagulant medications
  • malignant tumors

Other Causes of Melaena

The following are the less common causes of Melaena:
  • thrombocytopenia
  • hemophilia
  • gastritis
  • esophageal varices
  • Meckel's diverticulum
  • Mallory-Weiss syndrome
  • iron supplements
  • Pepto-Bismol
  • Maalox
  • lead
  • swallowed maternal blood by babies during delivery

Risk Factors for Melaena

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Melaena:
  • peptic ulcer disease
  • upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding
  • anticoagulant medications
  • malignant tumors

Prevention of Melaena

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Melaena. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
  • limiting the amount of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
  • avoid smoking
  • avoid alcohol consumption

Occurrence of Melaena

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Melaena cases seen each year worldwide:
  • Very common > 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Melaena can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Melaena can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Melaena

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Melaena:
  • Endoscopy: To look for obvious signs of a bleed
  • Colonoscopy: To diagnose for the condition

Doctor for Diagnosis of Melaena

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Melaena:
  • General surgeon
  • Gastroenterologist

Complications of Melaena if untreated

Yes, Melaena causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Melaena is left untreated:
  • can be fatal

Procedures for Treatment of Melaena

The following procedures are used to treat Melaena:
  • Surgery: To stop the bleeding

Self-care for Melaena

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Melaena:
  • Avoid alcoholic drinks and smoking: Reduces the stomach acids and prevents ulcers

Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Melaena

The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Melaena:
  • Highly selective transcatheter embolization: Helps in healing massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding
  • Endoscopic band ligation: Treats acute upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding

Time for Treatment of Melaena

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Melaena to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
  • Within 1 week

Related Topics

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.
This page provides information for Melaena.

Related Topics

Melaena

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