Definition

Noun 1. A medical condition: The passage of black, tarry, and foul-smelling feces, caused by the presence of digested blood, typically indicating bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract (e.g., stomach or small intestine).

Usage

• Melaena is a clinical sign, not a disease itself. It is used specifically in medical contexts to describe a symptom.
• It is often reported by patients or observed by healthcare professionals.
• The word is typically used as an uncountable noun (e.g., ).

Examples

• The doctor was concerned because the patient reported a history of melaena.
• Melaena is a serious symptom that requires immediate medical investigation to find the source of bleeding.
• The presence of melaena suggests the bleeding is occurring high in the digestive system.

Advanced Usage

• Differential Diagnosis: In medical practice, melaena is distinguished from (the passage of fresh, bright red blood in the stool, usually from lower GI bleeding).
• Causes: Common causes mentioned alongside melaena include peptic ulcers, gastritis, esophageal varices, or certain medications.

Variants and Related Words

• Melena: An alternative, equally common spelling.
• Haematemesis (noun): The vomiting of blood, which often occurs together with melaena in cases of upper GI bleeding.
• Haematochezia (noun): The passage of fresh blood in the stool, contrasting with melaena.

Synonyms

• Black tarry stools (descriptive phrase)
• Tarry feces (descriptive phrase)

Antonyms

• Haematochezia (specifically for the type of blood present, not the condition of bleeding itself)

Related Phrases / Medical Terminology

• "To present with melaena": A common phrase meaning a patient is showing this symptom upon examination.
• "Melaena stool": A phrase used to describe the specific appearance of the feces.
• "Cause of melaena": A standard phrase in medical diagnostics to identify the underlying problem.

Noun

1. abnormally dark tarry feces containing blood (usually from gastrointestinal bleeding)