Medical Terminology - Digestive System PDF

Medical terminology Digestive system Digestive system The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a continuous tube beginning with the mouth and ending at the anus. This tract is also called the alimentary canal. Accessory organs of the digestive system include ✓ Salivary glands ✓...

Medical terminology Digestive system Digestive system The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a continuous tube beginning with the mouth and ending at the anus. This tract is also called the alimentary canal. Accessory organs of the digestive system include ✓ Salivary glands ✓ Liver ✓ Gallbladder ✓ Pancreas  Digestive system Digestion is the mechanical, chemical, and enzymatic processes in which ingested food is converted into substances the body can use. Absorption is taking in these substances by the body’s cells. The removal of wastes from the body is called elimination. Structure and function The Mouth (Oral Cavity) (Or/o- and Stomat/o-) Digestion begins in the mouth (oral cavity), where food is broken apart by mastication, which is a technical term for chewing. The saliva is produced by the salivary glands moistens the food and forms a bolus, a small ball of masticated food that is pushed back and downward with the tongue. The Pharynx and Esophagus (Pharyng/o-, esophag/o) The bolus enters the pharynx (throat), which is also part of the respiratory tract. From the pharynx, the bolus passes into the esophagus, a tube that connects the throat to the stomach. Here, the bolus is lubricated with mucus before being carried into the stomach by wavelike muscular contractions called peristalsis. The lower esophageal sphincter, also called the cardiac sphincter, is a ring-like muscle that controls the flow of food from the esophagus into the stomach. Structure and function The Stomach (Gastr/o-) The regions of the stomach include the cardia, fundus, body, and pylorus. Its first job is to act as a temporary storage place for the food while it does its second job: secreting hydrochloric acid and enzymes to help break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. After 3 to 4 hours, the stomach’s contents, which by this stage consist of a liquid called chyme, begin to enter the small intestine. Chyme passes through the pyloric sphincter, a ring of muscle at the distal end of the stomach, and into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. Structure and function The Intestine (enter/o-) - The lower GI tract begins with the small intestine, which extends from the stomach’s pyloric sphincter to the first part of the large intestine. The small intestine is divided into three parts: Duodenum Jejunum Ileum - The cecum is the beginning part of the large intestine. Attached to the cecum is a tube-shaped sac called the appendix. The appendix is part of the lymphatic system. - The colon is subdivided into four parts: the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid colon. - The rectum is the last part of the large intestine and terminates at the anus, through which wastes are eliminated.  Structure and function Accessory Organs The salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are not part of the GI tract and are referred to as accessory organs of the digestive system. However, they play important roles in digestion. Salivary Glands (Sial/o) The salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, and sublingual) secret saliva in the oral cavity. Saliva is a watery liquid that contains enzymes that begin the digestive process. Saliva also helps flush bacteria in the mouth and keeps the teeth and tongue clean.  Structure and function Liver (hepat/o) The liver, located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen deep to the diaphragm, plays many important roles in digestion, metabolism, and detoxification of harmful substances. The liver manufactures and secrete bile, a liquid that breaks down fat into droplets. This breaking down process is called emulsification. The gallbladder stores, condenses, and delivers the bile to the duodenum. Pancreas (pancreat/o) The pancreas is an elongated feather-shaped organ that lies posterior to the stomach. It has both digestive and endocrine functions. It produces digestive enzymes that aid in processing carbohydrates and fats in foods as well as secreting insulin that regulates the blood sugar level.  Word parts related to the digestive system Word part Meaning Stomat/o, or/o mouth Bucc/o Cheek Dent/i,o teeth Gingiv/o gums Gloss/o tongue Phag/o, - phagia Eating, swallowing Esophag/o esophagus Gastr/o stomach Abdomin/o, lapar/o abdomen -pepsia digestion Enter/o Intestine Duoden/o duodenum Jejun/o Jejunum Ile/o ileum  Word parts related to the digestive system Word part Meaning -emesis vomiting Col/o, colon/o colon Rect/o Rectum Proct/o Anus Chol/e,o bile Cholecyst/o gallbladder Hepat/o liver Pancreat/o Pancreas Sial/o Salivary gland Examples Stomatology Study of structure, functions and diseases related to mouth Gastroplegia Paralysis of stomach (muscular coat) Jejunotomy Incision in jejunum Gingivitis Anoscopy Gastroenteritis Disorders of the digestive system The following are a few common disorders of the upper digestive tract: Dysphagia: difficulty in swallowing Esophagitis: inflammation of the esophagus Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): upward flow of stomach acid into the esophagus Gastritis: inflammation of the stomach (gastric) mucous membranes Disorders of the digestive system Disorders of the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract Appendicitis: inflammation of the appendix Peritonitis: inflammation of the peritoneum, which is the sac that lines the abdominal cavity Inguinal hernia: protrusion of a small loop of intestine through a weak spot in the lower abdominal wall or groin Other of the Digestive System Anorexia: loss of appetite Cirrhosis: chronic liver scar tissue formation; it typically results from alcoholism or hepatitis Cholelithiasis: a condition in which calculi or stones reside in the gallbladder or bile ducts Cholecystitis: inflammation of the gallbladder Dyspepsia: indigestion Hepatitis: inflammation of the liver Jaundice (also called icterus): a symptom of hepatitis characterized by a yellowing of the skin and eyes as a result of bile accumulation Ulcerative colitis: inflammation of the colon with ulceration Words related to the digestive system Colonoscope is a long, flexible fiber-optic endoscope used to perform a colonoscopy (visual examination of the colon). Endoscopic examination of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum performed using a fiber-optic instrument is called an esophagogastroduodenoscopy The word part “ostomy,” which is a word on its own meaning “mouth,” is an artificial stoma (opening) into the GI canal. Patients with a stoma have a section of their intestines removed, so instead of waste exiting through the rectum, an artificial opening is established, and waste exits into a bag or pouch the patient wears. Example: Colostomy is an opening into the colon. - Notice that -ostomy looks very similar to–otomy, which is an incision (cutting), not the establishment of an opening. Gastroenterologists: physicians specializing in disorders of the stomach and Intestines. Proctologists: physicians specializing in disorders of the anus and rectum