Melena

As tarry stool ( melena ) is called in medicine have black stools. The appearance of fresh blood in the stool is called hematochezia.

The black discoloration of the stool is caused by the content of hematin. Hematin arises when hemoglobin is used in conjunction with stomach acids. The iron in the hemoglobin is oxidized, and in this case there is a change in color. Therefore, the source of bleeding is usually located in the upper digestive tract. However, it can at slow intestinal transit ( for more than five hours) even with bleeding in the small and large intestine cause melena when hematin is formed by bacterial decomposition of hemoglobin. Tarry stool smells bad and is glossy.

A distinction has to tarry among other things, a black chair with iron therapy. In this Haemoccult the test as opposed to tarry stool is negative.

As melena spuria referred to the occurrence of melena by swallowing maternal blood in newborns or infants. May occur during birth or through the fissures of the mother's breast during breastfeeding