The appearance of greenish-yellow vomitus in a patient indicates what source?

The appearance of greenish-yellow vomitus typically indicates the presence of bile, which is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. When bile is present in vomit, it suggests that the source of the vomitus is from the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine immediately following the stomach. This is because the duodenum receives bile from the biliary tract, where it aids in the digestion of fats.

When a patient vomits this greenish-yellow fluid, it generally reflects a greater issue, such as a blockage further down in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to the backing up of intestinal contents, which may include bile. This characteristic color is a distinguishing factor that helps health professionals determine the origin of the vomit. In contrast, other choices indicate different sources of vomit; for instance, stomach contents would not typically have the bile coloration, and gastric reflux usually involves more acidic contents from the stomach rather than bile. Food poisoning can lead to a variety of symptoms and types of vomit, but the greenish-yellow color specifically points to duodenal contents due to the presence of bile.