03594 - Gastroenterology (A)

Academic Year 2025/2026

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Medicine and Surgery (cod. 5904)

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will understand: - the pathophysiology, epidemiological relevance, clinical course, investigation techniques, and treatment concepts for the main esophageal, gastric, biliary, pancreatic, intestinal, and hepatic diseases; - the main causes, presentation, diagnostic methods, prognosis, and various therapeutic measures of gastrointestinal hemorrhages, and will be able to hypothesize the location based on the clinical findings and presentation; - the pathophysiology, clinical symptoms, investigation techniques, and treatment concepts for malabsorption syndromes; - the clinical symptoms, investigation techniques, and treatment concepts for intestinal and liver tumors.

Course contents

Liver Diseases

• Acute liver failure

• Viral hepatitis

• Alcohol-related liver disease

• Steatosis and non-alcohol-related steatohepatitis

• Autoimmune liver diseases

• Storage liver diseases

• Drug- and toxic-related liver diseases

• Liver cirrhosis

• Liver neoplasms

Biliary tract and pancreatic diseases

• Jaundice and cholestasis. Chronic cholestatic diseases

• Gallstones

• Biliary tract neoplasms

• Acute pancreatitis

• Chronic pancreatitis

• Pancreatic neoplasms and precancerous lesions

Diseases of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum

• Esophageal motor disorders

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease

• Esophagitis not associated with GERD

• Esophageal neoplasms

• HP infection and related diseases

• Chronic gastritis and drug-induced gastropathies

• Stomach cancer and precancerous lesions

Functional gastrointestinal disorders

• Functional dyspepsia

• Irritable bowel syndrome

• Chronic constipation

Diarrhea, malabsorption, and colon diseases

• Diarrhea

• Celiac disease

• Diverticular disease

• Colorectal cancer

Chronic inflammatory diseases Intestinal disorders

• Crohn's disease

• Ulcerative colitis

• Microscopic colitis

Digestive bleeding

Readings/Bibliography

Manuale dell'apparato digerente. Edizione 2022-2025

Coordinamento Nazionale Docenti di Gastroenterologia (UNIGASTRO)

Edra

Teaching methods

The teaching methods used to support the learning process and achieve the course's objectives include lectures and in-person presentations and discussions of clinical cases. A problem-solving approach is also used, identifying a specific clinical problem within the digestive system pathologies covered in the course and identifying its solution.

Assessment methods

Oral examination

This course is part of an integrated program consisting of the following subjects:

Endocrinology

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterological Surgery and Endocrinology

Learning is assessed simultaneously for all subjects in the course through oral exams designed to assess the knowledge and skills required for each subject.

Grade Rating:

- Knowledge of only some essential elements and analytical skills that emerge only with the assistance of the instructor, using generally correct language (grade: 18-19);

- Broader knowledge and independent analytical skills on only some aspects, using correct language (grade: 20-24);

- Good knowledge of all essential aspects, ability to make independent, reasoned analytical choices, demonstrating mastery of specific terminology (grade: 25-29);

- Comprehensive knowledge, ability to make independent, reasoned analysis choices, connecting different topics, full command of specific terminology, and argumentative skills (grade: 30-30L).

The grade achieved will then be considered in the overall context of the Integrated Course exam, taking into account the credits assigned to the individual subjects.

To take the exam, students must register on AlmaEsami by the deadlines set by the application and must have their institutional credentials.

"Students with DSA or temporary or permanent disabilities": Please contact the relevant University Office promptly (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it). The Office will be responsible for suggesting any adaptations to the students concerned, which must be submitted to the instructor for approval at least 15 days in advance. The instructor will also evaluate the appropriateness of the adaptations in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Azzaroli