Melena

In medicine, melena or melæna refers to the black, "tarry" feces that are associated with gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The black color is caused by oxidation of the iron in hemoglobin during its passage through the ileum and colon. Iron supplements may cause a grayish-black stool that should be distinguished from the black, tarlike stool that occurs from bleeding ulcer. Bleeding originating from the lower GI tract (such as the sigmoid colon and r... More

Parent Disease:

Also known as:

  • Black stool,
  • Melaena,
  • Black feces

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