Digestive System

append/o

appendix

cholecyst/o

common bile duct

colon/o

colon

dent/o

tooth

diverticul/o

pouch

gastr/o

stomach

gloss/o

tongue

hepat/o

liver

lith/o

stone

odont/o

tooth

pancreat/o

pancreas

polyp/o

polyp

proct/o

anus and rectum

digestive system

also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) system, includes approximately 30 feet of a continuous muscular tube called the gut.

mastication

the chewing movements of the teeth.

peristalsis

wavelike muscular contractions that propel food along the esophagus.

crown (tooth)

the part of the tooth visible above the gum line.

root (tooth)

the part of the tooth below the gum line.

enamel

the hardest substance in the body that covers the crown of the tooth.

dentin

the substance that makes up the main bulk of the tooth.

small intestine

the major site of digestion and absorption of nutrients from food, averaging 20 feet in length.

sphincters

muscular valves that control entry into and exit from the stomach.

villi

finger-like projections in the lining of the small intestine that aid in absorption.

esophagus

a muscular tube measuring about 10 inches long in adults.

time for swallowed food to reach stomach

about seven seconds.

Duodenum

The duodenum extends from the pyloric sphincter to the jejunum and is about 10-12 inches long.

Jejunum

The jejunum, or middle portion, extends from the duodenum to the ileum and is about eight feet long.

Ileum

The ileum is the last portion of the small intestine and extends from the jejunum to the colon. At 12 feet in length, it is the longest portion of the small intestine.

Large Intestine

The large intestine is approximately 5 feet long and includes the cecum, colon, rectum, and anal canal.

Cecum

The cecum is a pouch or saclike area in the first 2-3 inches at the beginning of the colon.

Colon

The colon consists of the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon.

Digestive Tract Length

The entire digestive tract, from mouth to anus, measures approximately 30 feet (9 meters) in length.

Villi

The inner lining of the small intestine has tiny finger-like projections called villi, which increase the surface area for nutrient absorption, covering an area equivalent to a tennis court.

Appendix

While the exact function of the appendix remains somewhat mysterious, it's believed to have a role in immune function and maintaining gut health.

Liver

The liver, a large organ located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, has several functions including processing the nutrients absorbed by the intestines, detoxifying harmful substances in the body, and producing bile.

Bile

Bile is important for digestion of fats and lipids.

Emulsification

The process of breaking up large fat globules and making them easier to digest is called emulsification.

Gallbladder

Bile produced by the liver is stored in the gallbladder (GB).

Pancreas

The pancreas is connected to the duodenum by way of the pancreatic duct and produces two important secretions for digestion: buffers and pancreatic enzymes.

Buffers

Buffers neutralize acidic chyme.

Pancreatic Enzymes

Enzymes digest carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins (trypsin, amylase, and lipase).

Prefix a-

a- means without.

Prefix an-

an- means without.

Prefix dys-

dys- means abnormal, painful, difficult.

Prefix endo-

endo- means within.

Prefix intra-

intra- means within.

Prefix re-

re- means again.

Prefix retro-

retro- means backward.

-algia

pain

-ectomy

surgical removal

-emesis

vomiting

-iatric

pertaining to medical treatment

-lithiasis

condition of stones

-orexia

appetite

-ostomy

surgically create an opening

-pepsia

digestion

-phagia

eat, swallow

-prandial

pertaining to a meal

-tripsy

surgical crushing

gastroenterology

Branch of medicine involved in diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the digestive system

orthodontics

branch of dentistry concerned with correction of problems with tooth alignment; specialist is orthodontist

anorexia

general term meaning loss of appetite

aphagia

being unable to swallow or eat

ascites

collection/accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity

constipation

experiencing difficulty in defecation (BM)

dysphagia

having difficulty swallowing or eating

gastralgia

stomach pain

hematemesis

vomiting blood

hematochezia

passing bright red blood in the stool

jaundice

yellow cast to the skin, mucous membranes, and whites of the eyes caused by deposit of bile pigment from too much bilirubin in the blood

melena

passage of dark tarry stool; blood in the GI tract

obesity

having too much body fat leading to a body weight that is above a healthy level

polyphagia

excessive eating; eating too much

pyrosis

pain and burning sensation usually caused by stomach acid splashing up into the esophagus; commonly called heartburn

diverticulitis

occurs when diverticula tear, resulting in inflammation, and in some cases, infection

gastroesophageal

acid from the stomach flows backward up into the esophagus, causing inflammation and pain

hiatal hernia

protrusion of the stomach through the diaphragm and extending into the thoracic cavity

fecal occult blood tests (FOBT)

laboratory test on feces to determine if microscopic amounts of blood are present; also called hemoccult or stool guaiac

stool culture

laboratory test of feces to determine if any pathogenic bacteria are present

lower gastrointestinal series (lower GI series)

X-ray image of colon and rectum taken after administration of barium, a radiopaque dye, by enema; also called a barium enema

colonoscopy

flexible fiberscope called a colonoscope is passed through anus, rectum, and colon

laparoscopy

scope is passed into abdominal wall through a small incision

body mass index

method of determining if person's weight is healthy; calculated by dividing person's weight in kilograms by his or her height in square meters

paracentesis

insertion of a needle into abdominal cavity to withdraw fluid; tests to diagnose disease may be conducted on the fluid

crown

artificial covering for a tooth that is created to replace original enamel covering of the tooth

root canal

dental treatment involving pulp cavity of the root of a tooth

enema

injection of fluid through the rectum and into the large intestine for purpose of cleansing bowel for testing, treating constipation, or administering drugs

lavage

use of nasogastric (NG) tube to wash out the stomach, for example, after ingestion of dangerous substances

total parenteral nutrition (TPN)

providing 100% of patient's nutrition intravenously

bariatric surgery

surgical procedures designed to treat morbid obesity by reducing the size of the stomach

cholecystectomy

surgical removal of the gallbladder

antacid

used to neutralize stomach acids; examples include Tums, Maalox, Mylanta, calcium carbonate

antidiarrheal

used to control diarrhea; examples include Imodium, Lomotil, Kaopectate, loperamide

antiemetic

treats nausea and vomiting and motion sickness; examples include Compazine, promethazine, Phenergan, Zofran

laxative

treats constipation by stimulating a bowel movement; examples include Senokot, Metamucil

ac

before meals

BE

barium enema

BMI

body mass index

CBD

common bile duct

GB

gallbladder