Refers to the black, “tarry” feces that are associated with gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
The passage of very dark, tarry stools stained with digested blood.
The passage of dark stools stained with blood pigments and digested blood. Essentially, the stools are black and of a sticky, tarry consistency.
Abnormal dark, tarry stool, containing blood, usually from gastrointestinal bleeding.
Dark, tarry stools that contain digested blood due to bleeding from the esophagus or stomach.
Partly digested blood in the stool. Melena is considered a medical emergency because it indicates internal bleeding, which may be a symptom of peptic ulcer disease or other disorders of the stomach, intestines, or esophagus. Black stools that may be mistaken for internal bleeding can also be caused by ingestion of iron or over-the-counter preparations for upset stomach that contain bismuth.
Black tarry feces due to the presence of partly digested blood from higher up the digestive tract Melena is not apparent unless at least 100 ml of blood has entered the gut. It often occurs in association with vomiting blood and the causes are the same.
Black tarry feces caused by the digestion of blood in the gastrointestinal tract. It is common in the newborn and in adult patients with gastrointestinal bleeding from the esophagus, stomach, or proximal small intestine.
The presence of dark, black stools is due to internal bleeding within the digestive tract. As blood is digested, it darkens. If someone known to have a duodenal or gastric ulcer, or chronic severe indigestion, suddenly turns pale, faints, and doesn’t recover quickly like they would from a typical faint, this condition might be the cause. In severe bleeding cases, the individual might display symptoms of surgical shock and need urgent medical attention. The black stools might appear 12 to 24 hours after the initial bleeding.