Step 2 CK First Aid Rapid Practice Test

Which condition is associated with red 'currant-jelly' stools?

Intussusception Malrotation with volvulus Meckel diverticulum Pyloric stenosis

Correct Answer:

Intussusception

Explanation:

Red currant jelly stools signal intussusception. When a segment of bowel telescopes into an adjacent segment, the outflow venous return is obstructed, causing venous congestion, edema, and mucosal ischemia. Blood and mucus mix in the lumen, producing the characteristic reddish, jelly-like stool. This finding is classic in young children with intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting, and sometimes a palpable abdominal mass. In contrast, malrotation with volvulus usually presents with bilious vomiting and signs of acute distress due to obstruction; Meckel diverticulum can cause painless lower GI bleeding from ectopic gastric mucosa; pyloric stenosis leads to projectile nonbilious vomiting and an olive-sized mass in the epigastrium.

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