Digestive Disorders
Glossary - Digestive Disorders
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A
abdomen - area between the chest and the hips that contains the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen.
absorption - the way nutrients from food move from the small intestine into the cells in the body.
accessory digestive organs - organs that help with digestion but are not part of the digestive tract. These organs include the tongue, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and glands in the mouth that make saliva.
achalasia - a rare disorder of the esophagus where the muscle at the end of the esophagus does not relax enough for the passage to open properly.
activated charcoal - an over-the-counter product that may help relieve intestinal gas.
acute - severe; sharp; beings sharply.
aerophagia - condition that occurs when a person swallows too much air; causes gas and frequent belching.
alactasia - inherited condition causing the lack of the enzyme needed to digest milk sugar.
alimentary canal - gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
amebiasis - acute or chronic infection; symptoms vary from mild diarrhea to frequent watery diarrhea and loss of water and fluids in the body.
anal fissure - small tear in the anus that may cause itching, pain, or bleeding.
anal fistula - channel that develops between the anus and the skin. Most fistulas are the result of an abscess (infection) that spreads to the skin.
anastomosis - operation to connect two body parts. An example is an operation in which a part of the colon is removed and the two remaining ends are rejoined.
anemia - blood disorder caused by a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells).
angiodysplasia - abnormal or enlarged blood vessels in the gastrointestinal tract.
angiography - x-ray that uses dye to detect bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
anoscopy - test to look for fissures, fistulae, and hemorrhoids using a special instrument, called an anoscope, to look into the anus.
antacids - medications that balance acids and gas in the stomach.
anticholinergics - medications that calm muscle spasms in the intestine.
antidiarrheals - medications that help control diarrhea.
antiemetics - medications that prevent and control nausea and vomiting.
antispasmodics - medications that help reduce or stop muscle spasms in the intestines.
antrectomy - operation to remove the lower portion of the stomach, called the antrum, to help reduce the amount of stomach acid.
anus - opening at the end of the digestive tract where the bowel contents leave the body.
appendectomy - an operation to remove the appendix.
appendicitis - inflammation and reddening of the appendix caused by infection, scarring, or blockage.
appendix - a small pouch, attached to the first part of the large intestine, whose function in the body is unknown.
ascending colon - part of the colon on the right side of the abdomen.
ascites - build-up of fluid in the abdomen usually caused by severe liver disease, such as cirrhosis.
asymptomatic - condition of having a disease, but without any symptoms of it.
atonic colon (Also called lazy colon.) - lack of normal muscle tone or strength in the colon caused by the overuse of laxatives or by Hirschsprung's disease; may result in chronic constipation.
atresia - lack of a normal opening from the esophagus, intestines, or the anus.
atrophic gastritis - chronic inflammation of the stomach lining that causes the breakdown of the mucous membranes of the stomach.
autoimmune hepatitis - liver disease caused when the body's immune system destroys liver cells for no known reason.
B
barium - chalky liquid used to coat the inside of organs so that they will show up on an x-ray.
barium beefsteak meal - during this test, the patient eats a meal containing barium, allowing the radiologist to watch the stomach as it digests the meal. The amount of time it takes for the barium meal to be digested and leave the stomach gives the physician an idea of how well the stomach is working and helps to detect emptying problems that may not show up on the liquid barium x-ray.
barium enema (Also called lower GI, or gastrointestinal, series.) - a procedure that examines the rectum, the large intestine, and the lower part of the small intestine. A fluid called barium (a metallic, chemical, chalky, liquid used to coat the inside of organs so that they will show up on an x-ray) is given into the rectum as an enema. An x-ray of the abdomen shows strictures (narrowed areas), obstructions (blockages), and other problems.
belching (Also called burping.) - noisy release of gas from the stomach through the mouth.
Bernstein test - Test to find out if heartburn is caused by acid in the esophagus; involves dripping a mild acid, similar to stomach acid, through a tube placed in the esophagus.
bezoar - ball of food, mucus, vegetable fiber, hair, or other material that cannot be digested in the stomach, which can cause blockage, ulcers, and bleeding.
bile - fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile helps break down fats and gets rid of wastes in the body.
bile acids - acids made by the liver that work with bile to break down fats.
bile ducts - tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder for storage and to the small intestine for use in digestion.
biliary atresia - condition present from birth in which the bile ducts inside or outside the liver do not have normal openings. Bile becomes trapped in the liver, causing jaundice and cirrhosis. Without surgery, the condition may cause death.
biliary stricture - narrowing of the biliary tract from scar tissue. The scar tissue may result from injury, disease, pancreatitis, infection, or gallstones.
biliary tract (Also called biliary system or biliary tree.) - gallbladder and the bile ducts.
bilirubin - a yellow-green color substance formed when hemoglobin breaks down. Bilirubin gives bile its color. Bilirubin is normally passed in stool. Too much bilirubin causes jaundice.
bismuth subsalicylate - nonprescription medication used to treat diarrhea, heartburn, indigestion, and nausea; also part of the treatment for ulcers caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.
bloating - fullness or swelling in the abdomen that often occurs after meals.
borborygmi - rumbling sounds caused by gas moving through the intestines (stomach "growling").
bowel - another word for the small and large intestines.
bowel movement - body wastes passed through the rectum and anus.
bowel prep - process used to clean the colon with enemas and a special drink; used before surgery of the colon, colonoscopy, or barium x-ray.
Budd-Chiari syndrome - Rare liver disease in which the veins that drain blood from the liver are blocked or narrowed.
bulking agents - laxatives that make bowel movements soft and easy to pass.
C
calculi - stones or solid lumps such as gallstones.
Campylobacter pylori - Original name for the bacterium that causes ulcers; new name is Helicobacter pylori.
candidiasis - mild infection caused by the Candida fungus, which lives naturally in the gastrointestinal tract. Infection occurs when a change in the body, such as surgery, causes the fungus to suddenly overgrow.
carbohydrates - one of the three main classes of food and a source of energy. Carbohydrates are the sugars and starches found in breads, cereals, fruits, and vegetables, which, during digestion, carbohydrates are changed into a simple sugar called glucose. Glucose is stored in the liver until cells need it for energy.
cathartics - laxatives.
catheter - thin, flexible tube that carries fluids into or out of the body.
cecostomy - tube that goes through the skin into the beginning of the large intestine to remove gas or feces; it is a short-term way to protect part of the colon while it heals after surgery.
cecum - beginning of the large intestine; it is connected to the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum.
celiac disease - a digestive disease that damages the small intestine because of a sensitivity to gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. This hereditary disorder interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food.
celiac sprue - celiac disease.
chlorhydria - too much hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
cholangiography - series of x-rays of the bile ducts.
cholangitis - irritated or infected bile ducts.
cholecystectomy - operation to remove the gallbladder.
cholecystitis - irritated gallbladder.
cholecystokinin - hormone released in the small intestine. Causes muscles in the gallbladder and the colon to tighten and relax.
choledocholithiasis - gallstones in the bile ducts.
cholelithiasis - gallstones in the gallbladder.
cholestasis - blocked bile ducts often caused by gallstones.
cholesterol - a substance normally made by the body, but also found in foods from animal sources, like beef, eggs, and butter. Too much cholesterol in the body can lead to narrowing and blockage of the arteries, especially those that feed the heart and keep it healthy. High cholesterol can also cause the formation of gallstones. Ideally, blood cholesterol levels should be less than 200mg/dL.
chronic - referring to a disease or disorder that usually develops slowly and lasts for a long period of time.
chyme - thick liquid made of partially digested food and stomach juices; made in the stomach and moves into the small intestine for further digestion.
cirrhosis - a chronic problem makes it hard for the liver to remove toxins (poisonous substances) from the body. Alcohol, medications, and other substances may build up in the bloodstream and cause problems. Cirrhosis is a result of scarring and damage from other diseases, such as biliary atresia and alcoholism.
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) - Bacteria naturally present in the large intestine that make a substance that can cause a serious infection called pseudomembranous colitis in people taking antibiotics.
colectomy - operation to remove all or part of the colon.
colic - attacks of abdominal pain, caused by muscle spasms in the intestines.
colitis - irritation of the colon.
collagenous colitis - type of colitis caused by an abnormal band of collagen, a thread-like protein.
colon - large intestine.
colonic inertia - condition of the colon when muscles do not work properly, causing constipation.
colonoscopy - a procedure that allows the physician to view the entire length of the large intestine, and can often help identify abnormal growths, inflamed tissue, ulcers, and bleeding. It involves inserting a colonoscope, a long, flexible, lighted tube, in through the rectum up into the colon. The colonoscope allows the physician to see the lining of the colon, remove tissue for further examination, and possibly treat some problems that are discovered.
colonoscopic polypectomy - removal of tumor-like growths (polyps) using a device inserted through a colonoscope.
colon polyps - small, fleshy, mushroom-shaped growths in the colon.
coloproctectomy - proctocolectomy.
colorectal cancer - cancer that occurs in the colon (large intestine) or the rectum (the end of the large intestine).
colorectal transit study - a test to show how well food moves through the colon. The patient swallows capsules containing small markers which are visible on x-ray. The patient follows a high-fiber diet during the course of the test, and the movement of the markers through the colon is monitored with abdominal x-rays taken several times three to seven days after the capsule is swallowed.
colostomy - operation that makes it possible for stool to leave the body after the rectum has been removed.
common bile duct - tube that carries bile from the liver to the small intestine.
common bile duct obstruction - blockage of the common bile duct, often caused by gallstones.
constipation - condition in which the stool becomes hard and dry.
continence - ability to hold in a bowel movement or urine.
continent ileostomy - operation to create a pouch from part of the small intestine. Stool that collects in the pouch is removed by inserting a small tube through an opening made in the abdomen.
corticosteroids - medications that reduce irritation and inflammation.
Crohn's disease (Also called regional enteritis and ileitis.) - A chronic form of inflammatory bowel disease that usually affects the lower small intestine (called the ileum) or the colon, but it can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract.
cryptosporidia - parasite that can cause gastrointestinal infection and diarrhea.
cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) - sudden, repeated attacks of severe vomiting (especially in children), nausea, and physical exhaustion with no apparent cause.
cystic duct - tube that carries bile from the gallbladder into the common bile duct and the small intestine.
cystic duct obstruction - blockage of the cystic duct, often caused by gallstones.
D
defecation - passage of bowel contents through the rectum and anus.
defecography - an x-ray of the anorectal area that evaluates completeness of stool elimination, identifies anorectal abnormalities, and evaluates rectal muscle contractions and relaxation.
dehydration - loss of fluids from the body, often caused by diarrhea.
delayed gastric emptying - gastroparesis.
descending colon - part of the colon where stool is stored. Located on the left side of the abdomen.
diaphragm - muscle wall between the chest and the abdomen. It is the major muscle that the body uses for breathing.
diarrhea - frequent, loose, and watery bowel movements.
digestants - medications that aid or stimulate digestion.
digestion - process the body uses to break down food into simple substances for energy, growth, and cell repair.
digestive tract - the organs that are involved in digestion, including the mouth, salivary glands, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, small intestine, and large intestine.