Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding describes any bleeding that occurs in the GI tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus. GI bleeding is often a sign of a disorder of the digestive tract. The level of bleeding ranges from mild to life-threatening.
The cause of GI bleeding is often difficult to find but the development of advanced imaging techniques now allows the location of the bleeding to be found.
The bleeding can originate from any site in the GI tract but it is categorised into:
- Upper gastrointestinal bleeding that can occur between the mouth and the duodenum (first part of the small intestine)
- Lower gastrointestinal bleeding that can occur between the small intestine and the anus