The blackest stool I ever saw was after a meal of squid ink pasta with
squid ink sauce [the ink is very black - and it goes all the way
through].
And to add a christmas flavour, the reddest was a 3 year-old having
pigged out on watermelon.
[although perhaps flavour & stools should not be mentioned in the same
sentence]
************************************************************************
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Prof. Tim Reynolds
Consultant Chemical Pathologist
Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
work tel: 01283 511511 ext 4035
work fax: 01283 593064
work email: [log in to unmask]
work URL: www.burtonhospitals.nhs.uk
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-----Original Message-----
From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Woodrow Iain
Sent: 23 December 2010 10:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: cause of black stool (+FOB test)
Hi Peadar,
Apologies if you already thought of this, and not wishing to propagate
any racial stereotypes, but is he an enthusiast of Ireland's most famous
harp-emblazoned export?
Regards,
Iain
Dr I Woodrow,
Clinical Scientist,
Department of Clinical Biochemistry
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
-----Original Message-----
From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peadar McGing
Sent: 22 December 2010 17:30
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: cause of black stool (+FOB test)
Dear colleagues,
I'm looking for help with possible causes of black stool in an 87
year-old asymptomatic man who presented to his GP 2 days ago, one week
after having been discharged from convalescence in a nursing home post
discharge from hospital (he had a chest infection originally). It seems
he had a 'very black' stool for the previous week. He was referred by
the GP to a local hospital yesterday for investigation of probable
malaena. FOB was negative and other causes of black stool (from the
lists I have) seem to be ruled out by the history (e.g. not on any known
iron supplements, not eating liquorice, not treated with charcoal, not
on antacids). He was on aspirin but the GP stopped this two days ago.
Since being admitted he has not passed any faeces so one cannot judge if
the aspirin was contributing. I wonder about the potential for false
negative FOB in this case. I would have thought that given how black the
faeces was reported to be that if it was malaena then it should be
easily detected. I'd appreciate the expertise of colleagues dealing with
this test on a regular basis. Also if anyone has come across other
non-malaena causes of black stool I'd appreciate hearing about them).
Thanks in anticipation, and Happy Christmas to all.
best wishes.
Peadar
Dr Peadar McGing, FRCPath EurClinChem,
Principal Biochemist,
Biochemistry Dept., Mater Misericordiae University Hospital,
Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland.
Tel: (+353 1)8032374; Fax: (+353 1)8034781.
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