chapter eleven - terms

function of digestive tract

made up of several digestive organs that form a continuous passageway from the mouth to the anus (aka alimentary canal or gastrointestinal tract)

it functions to prepare ingested food for use by the body cells and eliminates solid waste from the body

mouth

opening through which food passes into the body

breaks food into small particles by mastication (chewing) and mixing with saliva

tongue

consists mostly of skeletal muscles, attached in the posterior region of the mo9uth

provides movement of food for mastication, directs food to the pharynx for swallowing, and is a major organ for taste and speech

palate

separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity

consists of the soft palate, hard palate, and uvula

soft palate

posterior portion, not supported by bone

hard palate

anterior portion, supported by bone

uvula

soft V-shaped mass that extends from the soft palate, directs food into the throat

pharynx, throat

performs the swallowing action that passes food from the mouth into the throat

esophagus

10 inch tube that extends from the pharynx to the stomach

stomach

J-shaped sac that mixes and stores food, secretes chemicals for digestion and hormones for local communication and control

cardia

area around the opening of the esophagus

fundus

uppermost domed portion of the stomach

body

centeral portion of the stomach

antrum

lower portion of the stomach

pylorus

portion of the stomach that connects to the small intestine

pyloric sphincter

ring of the muscle that guards the opening between the stomach and duodenum

small intestine

20 foot canal extending from the pyloric sphincter to the large intestine

includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum

duodenum

first 10 to 12 inches of the small intestine

jejunum

second portion of the small intestine which connects with the large intestine

ileum

third portion of the small intestine which connects with the large intestine

large intestine

canal that is approx. 5ft and extends from the ileum to the anus

includes the cecum, colon, and rectum

cecum

blind U-shape pouch that is the first portion of the large intestine

colon

second portion of the large intestine

divided into four parts - ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon

rectum

remaining portion of the large intestine extending from the sigmoid colon to the anus

anus

sphincter muscle at the end of the digestive tract

sphincter

ringlike band of muscle fiber that keeps an opening tight

salivary glands

produce saliva, which flows into the mouth

liver

produces bile, which is necessary for the digestion of fats

preforms many other additional function concerned with digestion and metabolism

bile ducts

passageways that carry bile

hepatic duct and cystic duct make common bile duct which all make biliary tract

hepatic duct

a passageway for bile from the liver

cystic duct

carries bile from the gallbladder

common bile duct

the joining of the hepatic and cystic duct

biliary tract

the collective passageways of the hepatic duct, cystic duct, and common bile duct

gallbladder

small saclike structure that stores bile

pancreas

produces pancreatic juice, which helps digest all types of food and secretes insulin for carbohydrate metabolism

peritoneum

serous saclike lining of the abdominal and pelvic cavities

appendix

small pouch, which has no function in digestion, attached to the cecum (aka vermiform appendix)

abdomen

portion of the body between the thorax and the pelvis

adhesion

abnormal growing together of two surfaces that normally are separated

may occur after abdominal surgery, surgical treatment is called adhesiolysis or adhesiotomy

anorexia nervosa

eating disorder of prolonged refusal to eat, resulting in emaciation, amenorrhea in females, and abnormal fear of becoming obese

occurs primarily in adolescents and young adults

bulimia nervosa

an eating disorder involving gorging with food, followed by induced vomiting or laxative abuse (binging and purgin)

cirrhosis

chronic disease of the liver with gradual destruction of cells and formation of scare tissue

commonly cause by alcoholism

Crohn disease

chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract usually affecting the ileum and characterized by cobblestone ulcerations and the formation of scar tissue that may lead to intestinal obstruction (aka regional ileitis or regional enteritis)

duodenal ulcer

ulcer in the duodenum

gastric ulcer

ulcer in the stomach

gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

abnormal backward flow of the gastrointestinal contents into the esophagus

causes heartburn and the gradual breakdown of the mucous barrier of the esophagus

hemochromatosis

an iron metabolism disorder that occurs when too much iron is absorbed form food, resulting in excessive deposits of iron in the tissue

can cause congestive heart failure, diabetes, cirrhosis, or cancer of the liver

hemorrhoid

varicose vein in the rectal area, which may be internal or external

ileus

obstruction of the intestine, often caused by failure of peristalsis

intussusception

telescoping a segment of the intestine

irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

periodic disturbances of bowel function, such as diarrhea and/or constipation, usually associated with abdominal pain

obesity

excess of body fat (not weight)

peptic ulcer

another name for gastric or duodenal ulcer

polyp

tumorlike growth extending outward from a mucous membrane, usually benign

common sites are in nose, throat, and intestines

ulcerative colitis

inflammation of the colon with the formation of ulcers, often causing bloody diarrhea

ileostomy may be done to treat

volvulus

twisting or kinking of the intestine, causing intestinal obstruction

abdominoperineal resection (A&P resection)

removal of the colon and rectum through both abdominal and perineal approaches

treats colorectal cancer and inflammatory diseases of the lower large intestine, the patient will have a colostomy

anastomosis

an opening created by surgically joining two structures

ex: blood vessels and bowel segments

bariatric surgery

surgical reduction of gastric capacity to treat morbid obesity

hemorrhoidectomy

excision of hemorrhoids, the varicosed veins in the rectal region

vagotomy

cutting of certain branches of vagus nerve

performed with gastric surgery to reduce the amount of gastric acid produced and thus reduce the recurrence of ulcers

abdominal ultrasonography

process of recording images of internal organs using high-frequency sound waves produced by a transducer placed directly on the skin

size and structure of organs can be visualized and cysts, abscesses, tumors enlargements of organs may also be detected

barium enema (BE)

series of radiographic images taken of the large intestine after a barium enema has been administered rectally (aka lower GI series)

upper GI (gastrointestinal) series

series of radiographic images taken of the stomach and duodenum after barium has been swallowed

endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)

radiographic examination of the biliary tract and pancreatic ducts with contrast media, fluoroscopy, and endoscopy

endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)

a procedure using an endoscope fitted with an ultrasound probe that provides images of layers of the intestinal wall

used to detect tumors and cystic growths and for staging of malignant tumors

fecal occult blood test (FOBT)

a test to detect occult blood in feces used to screen for colon cancer or polyps (aka guaiac test)

occult blood

blood that is present but can only be viewed microscopically

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibodies test

a blood test to determine the presence of H. pylori bacteria

the bacteria can be found in the lining of the stomach and can cause peptic ulcers

other ways to test for H. pylori include on biopsy specimens and by breath test

ascites

abnormal collection of fluid in the peritoneal cavity

diarrhea

frequent discharge of liquid stool

dysentery

disorder that involves inflammation of the intestine associated with diarrhea and abdominal pain

emesis

expelling matter from the stomach through the mouth (aka vomiting or vomitus)

feces

waste from the digestive tract expelled through the rectum (aka stool or fecal matter)

flatus

gas in the digestive tract or expelled through the anus

gastric lavage

washing out of the stomach

gavage

process of feeding a person through a nasogastric tube

hematemesis

vomiting of blood

hematochezia

passage of bloody feces

melena

black, tarry stool that contains digested blood - usually as a result of bleeding in the upper GI tract

nausea

urge to vomit

peristalsis

involuntary wavelike contractions that propel food along the digestive tract

reflux (ex.)

abnormal backward flow

ex: in esophageal reflux, the stomach contents flow back into the esophagus

stoma

surgical opening between an organ and the surface of the body, such as the opening established in the abdominal wall by colostomy, ileostomy, or a similar operation

may also refer to an opening created between body structures or between portions of the intestines

vomiting

expelling matter from the stomach through the mouth (aka vomitus or emesis)

abdominocentesis aka

paracentesis

appendicectomy aka

appendectomy