melaena

views updated

melaena (mi-lee-nă) n. black tarry faeces due to the presence of partly digested blood from higher up the digestive tract. It often occurs after vomiting blood (see haematemesis), having the same causes, but may be due to disease in the small intestine or upper colon, such as carcinoma or angiodysplasia. See also haemorrhagic disease of the newborn.