Gastric aspiration in localization of gastrointestinal hemorrhage

G. D. Luk, T. E. Bynum and T. R. Hendrix

We compared the findings from gastric aspiration for blood with the site of gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage ultimately identified by endoscopy or angiography in 1,190 patients whose cases were analyzed retrospectively and prospectively during a six-year period. Gastric aspirates were positive for blood in 837 patients. An upper GI site proximal to Treitz' ligament was identified in 93%, and none had a lower GI site. A negative aspirate was found in 353 patients; a lower GI site was identified in 60%, and 1% (three patients) had an upper GI site. In these three patients, hemorrhage occurred in clinical settings suggesting ulcer disease, and bleeding duodenal ulcers were found in all three. All of the other 180 patients with a bleeding duodenal ulcer had a positive gastric aspirate.