RT Book, Section
A1 Khanal, Deependra
A1 Rabinstein, Alejandro
A2 Salardini, Arash
A2 Biller, José
SR Print(0)
ID 1127048902
T1 Common Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Disorders
T2 The Hospital Neurology Book
YR 2016
FD 2016
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9780071845830
LK neurology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1127048902
RD 2024/04/24
AB Gastrointestinal  disorders  are  frequently  encountered  by  neurologists  practicing  in  a  hospital  setting.  Common  problems  include  abdominal  pain,  upper  or  lower  gastrointestinal  bleeding,  constipation  with  or  without  ileus,  and  diarrhea.  These  symptoms  could  be  present  in  any  hospitalized  patients  regardless  of  their  primary  diagnosis.  However,  some  of  these  conditions  may  be  more  common  in  neurologically  ill  patients.  These  include  dysphagia  in  stroke  patients,  altered  bowel  habits  in  patients  with  degenerative  diseases  such  as  Parkinson  disease,  or  fecal  incontinence  in  spinal  cord  disorders.  In  this  chapter,  we  will  focus  on  pathologies  frequently  seen  by  hospital  neurologists.  We  will  start  with  swallowing  disorders  including  a  discussion  of  their  pathophysiology  and  the  management  plan.  We  will  then  discuss  abdominal  pain,  gastrointestinal  bleeding,  diarrhea,  and  ileus,  all  problems  that  may  need  to  be  initially  assessed  and  treated  by  practicing  neurologists  who  take  primary  responsibility  of  hospitalized  patients.  We  will  finally  elaborate  on  hepatic  encephalopathy,  a  major  complication  of  liver  failure  and  a  frequent  cause  of  neurological  consultation  for  evaluation  and  treatment.