HEMORRAGIAS DIGESTIVAS

Abstract

It may be said in summary that both preoperative and peroperative diagnosis is sometimes very difficult or impossible. The data that most point the way are, first of all, the age and then the probable localization, in accordance with the clinical history and careful examination. It should not be forgotten that when all the examinations are negative, by means of operation it is possible to effect a cure in 50 to 60 % of cases. As mentioned in the article, the authors have four cases where after performing all the examinations no cause was found. The same occurred at the operation. Naturally the authors feared that the haemorrhage would return, but it did not do so. It is advisable always to have recourse to operation when the cause of the haemorrhage is not known, but, if nothing is found at operation, it has still probably been of great benefit to the patient, though the explanation for this is not known.