I was called to see Albert, a 35-year-old man, while he was an inpatient at our hospital. Albert had experienced a bout of hematemesis (vomiting blood) and had been admitted to determine the cause. Although dramatic in nature, hematemesis is a common complaint that we gastroenterologists are trained to evaluate and treat. Most patients have garden-variety problems, such as stomach ulcers or esophagitis (inflammation in the esophagus from acid reflux), that can lead to hematemesis; these troubles are generally easily managed. But not this time.
Albert told me that he had been feeling poorly for several months, with symptoms that seemed to come and go. He often experienced severe left-sided back pain that would come on out of the blue, leave him in agony for a few days, and then suddenly disappear. Sometimes, he would get abdominal pains that would leave him doubled over, only to have them vanish for weeks at a time. This time, he had been at home, feeling fine, when suddenly he was overcome by abdominal cramps and nausea. He ran to the bathroom and retched severely, eventually bringing up the blood. Naturally, the episode terrified him. He called 911 and here he was.
