Definition
The vomiting of bile is also known as cholemesis. In the narrower sense it is only the vomiting of bile produced in the liver. In the vernacular, however, it is often understood to be the vomiting of stomach contents that no longer contain any visible food residues.
Strictly speaking, however, this is not bilious vomiting. The color of the bile varies from yellowish to greenish. Heavily thickened bile can also take on a brownish tone.
Causes
The cause of bilious vomiting is usually an intestinal obstruction in the small intestine. Such an obstruction can lead to a backflow of bile. There can be various causes for the intestinal obstruction, such as tumors that obstruct intestinal passage.
Larger gallstones can also become an obstacle to passage and thus lead to obstructions, which are particularly localized at the transition from the small intestine to the large intestine. The obstruction can lead to a backlog of intestinal contents and bile. This congestion can in turn lead to biliary vomiting.
The color of the vomiting varies from yellowish-greenish to darker brown. Other causes such as foreign bodies or scarring in the small intestine, for example after operations, can also lead to constriction, so that the intestinal contents and bile back up. The vomiting of real bile should not be confused with the vomiting of stomach contents.
Frequent reasons for this are the reflux of stomach contents or very frequent vomiting, for example in the case of gastro-enteritis. Alcohol can have a damaging effect on the liver, which can lead to damage and secondary diseases such as cirrhosis or alcoholic liver damage. Other diseases such as chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) or complaints of the esophagus and stomach can also occur, especially after regular and long-term alcohol consumption.
The vomiting of bile itself is not directly caused by alcohol consumption. However, most diseases, such as chronic pancreatitis or alcoholic liver damage, are accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Since food intake is usually neglected, especially when alcohol consumption is very pronounced, frequent vomiting results in “empty” stomach contents, i.e. only gastric fluid, being vomited, which is confused with bile.
The bile is produced in the liver and from there passes through the gallbladder into the intestines, where it is mainly responsible for the digestion of fat. The bile then passes through the digestive tract and is excreted in the stool. After an intestinal operation, this passage of food through the intestine is often still disturbed, but normally there should be no vomiting of intestinal contents and thus of bile.
However, the intestine is often still very sluggish after an intestinal surgery. This leads to an accumulation of intestinal contents and bile. In the case of a severe congestion, bile can also enter the stomach and be vomited from there.
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