Melena and black stool

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HellO...I got a patient today who has melena... When I document in stool assessment... It gives me bunch of options ... One relevant option is melena and there is one more which black stool... I feel both are same... I guess u name it as melena only if stool is black... I asked one of my senior she says u say melena by colour and smell ??? Can anyone explain me

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.

Melena to me is dark and tarry/sticky stool. If someone uses pepto bismal they can have perfectly formed black stools, but melena is an indication of gi bleeding.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Iron preparations , bismuth and a few other medications can cause black stools.

Melena is like the Pp said black, tarry, sticky often foul smelling looser stool.

Just like omnicef can cause brick red stools that is not bloody stool.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.

Just remembered, black licorice and blueberries can cause black stool too.

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Thanks for your reply guys... Got an idea...

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