The colonoscopy was done Saturday morning. The good news was that there was no source of bleeding found in the colon. The doctor said that the scope only shows the main path through the colon and is unable to show the diverticula. So, the surgeon believes my dad's bleeding may have come from there.
From the referenced website:
| ... diverticula follow the paths of the arteries as they penetrate the muscle layer of the colon wall. Uncommonly, these same arteries can erode through the thin wall of the diverticulum and cause a major hemorrhage. This usually occurs when a person is elderly. The earliest symptoms are faintness and the appearance of much bright red blood by rectum. |
That pretty much describes the colour of the blood we were seeing when he was bleeding. Overnight, my dad maintained good vital signs and experienced no bleeding. The doctors still want to perform an angiography to find the source of the bleeding, but that procedure only works when bleeding is present and profuse. I guess as long as my dad's condition continues to improve, I should be grateful.
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