subsequent management

Last reviewed 01/2018

Having located the site of the gastrointestinal bleed, there are several options:

  • take a supportive 'wait-and-see' stance
  • surgical colectomy or hemicolectomy
  • colonoscopic electrocoagulation of bleeding spots
  • angiographic therapy:
    • vasopressin in 50% of non-massive bleeds; nitroglycerin has to be infused at the same time to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction
    • gel-foam embolisation