The gastrointestinal tract starts at the mouth, which leads to
the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and finally, the
rectum and anus. The GI tract is a long, hollow, muscular tube
through which food passes and nutrients are absorbed. Bleeding
from the GI tract is a common medical problem. Patients usually
notice either dark red blood or bright red blood in their stool.
Ulcers of the stomach and duodenum are common causes of bleeding
from the upper GI tract. Bleeding can also occur in the lower GI
tract (colon). Diverticular bleeding is a common cause of lower
GI bleeding. Procedure, part 1 The first step in the treatment
of GI bleeding is to locate the source of the bleeding. Patients
who have lost significant amounts of blood are transfused with
blood. Next, an endoscopy is used to locate the source of the
bleeding. Upper endoscopy is generally performed first, and if
no bleeding source is located, then lower endoscopy is
performed. During an endoscopy, the patient is usually sedated
but awake. Pr