aetiology in an adult

Last reviewed 01/2018

Common causes of a lower GI bleed include:

  • angiodysplasia
  • diverticular disease
  • colonic carcinoma or polyp
  • haemorrhoids
  • rectal trauma e.g. biopsy

Less common causes include:

  • anal fissure
  • massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • ischaemic colitis
  • Meckel's diverticulum
  • hookworm, particularly in the tropics
  • infective colitis e.g. campylobacter
  • solitary ulcer of rectum