What Causes Coffee Ground Vomitus?

Hemophilia B

Hemophilia B is a blood disorder that occurs because mutations in the F9 gene cause the absence or altered production of certain blood proteins that should clot the blood. Hemophilia B patients experience longer than normal bleeding after an injury, surgery, or any other blood vessel damage. The blood of an individual who has hemophilia B will eventually coagulate and clot, but takes longer than someone not affected by this disorder. Hemophilia B patients do not bleed any faster than individuals who are not affected but may bleed more frequently. Individuals with hemophilia B who develop duodenal ulcers, gastritis, or another form of gastrointestinal ulcer can experience bleeding from their condition in the digestive tract. This bleeding can manifest as coffee ground vomitus because the extended duration of bleeding in the gastrointestinal membranes allows some of the blood to coagulate. This coagulated blood may be expelled in vomit.

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Certain Types Of Cancer

When an individual vomits blood, the color and consistency of the blood can tell their doctor how long the blood has been present in their body outside of circulation. Cancerous tumors that grow in the digestive tract can damage the small blood vessels that provide blood and nutrients to the mucosal linings of these organs and structures. A tumor that grows in the esophagus and causes damage to blood vessels can produce a maroon-colored vomit with some coffee ground consistency if some of the blood has drained into the stomach and coagulated before expulsion. Cancer that grows in the stomach, pancreas, small intestine, or duodenum can cause damage to the blood vessels that feed these tissues. This blood vessel damage causes the leakage of blood into the lower stomach and duodenum. When this blood comes up via forceful vomiting, it may have a coffee-ground appearance because it has been in the stomach or duodenum for a longer period than blood from damaged esophageal vessels.

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