• Also known as the gastrointestinal system
• Responsible for the chemical and physical breakdown of food
• Food must be broken down so that it can be absorbed through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream to be carried to the tissue and cells to be used for energy and nourishment.

• Consists of the alimentary canal and accessory organs
• Alimentary canal – long, muscular tube starting with the mouth and ending with the anus.
Also includes the pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine
• Accessory organs include the salivary glands , tongue , teeth , liver , gallbladder , and pancreas

• Ingestion – eating (taking in food through the mouth)
• Digestion – breaking the food into smaller particles
• Absorption – absorb any usable fuel from the food into the blood stream to be delivered throughout the body
• Elimination – all unusable material removed from the body

1.
Mouth (Buccal Cavity)
• Teeth – physically break down food (process is called mastication )

• Tongue – muscular organ with taste buds
• Aids in chewing and swallowing

• Uvula – coneshaped muscular structure hanging from the soft palate
• Prevents food from entering the nasopharynx while swallowing

• Salivary glands – produces liquid
(saliva) to make swallowing easier
• Parotid gland
• Sublingual gland
• Submandibular gland
• Have enzymes which begin the chemical breakdown of carbohydrates
• Once food is chewed and mixed with saliva it is called a bolus.

• Pharynx – (about 5 inches long) tube carries both air and food. Air to the trachea (windpipe) and food to the esophagus
• When swallowing ( deglutition ), a muscle causes the epiglottis to close over the larynx, preventing the bolus from entering the respiratory tract

Esophagus – muscular tube behind the trachea
• Carries bolus to the stomach by rhythmic, wavelike, involuntary movement of its muscles which is called peristalsis

Cardiac Sphincter (Esophageal) – circular muscle between the stomach and esophagus
• Closes after food enters the stomach
• Prevents food from going back into the esophagus

Stomach – enlarged portion of the alimentary canal
• Receives food from the esophagus
• Mucous membrane lining contains folds called rugae which disappears as the stomach expands and fills with food

Gastric Juices – produced by glands in the stomach
• Converts food into semi-fluid material called chyme
• Juices contain hydrochloric acid
• Kills bacteria
• Helps in the absorption of iron
• Activates the enzyme pepsin

• Juices also contain enzymes:
• Lipase – begins chemical break down of fats
• Pepsin – starts protein digestion
• Only in infants, rennin is excreted
• Aids in milk digestion

Pyloric Sphincter – circular muscle between the stomach and small intestine
• Keeps food in the stomach until it’s ready to enter the small intestine
• Food usually remains in the stomach for about one to four hours

Small Intestine – coiled section of the alimentary canal about 20 feet long and one inch in diameter
• Receives food, in the form of chyme , from the stomach
• Three sections:
• Duodenum (9-10 in.)
• Jejunum (8 ft.)
• Ileum (12 ft.)

Duodenum - first nine to ten inches
• Bile from the gallbladder and liver and pancreatic juice from the pancreas enter this section through ducts or tubes

Jejunum – about 8 feet long
• Forms the middle section of the small intestine

Ileum – final 12 feet
• Connects with large intestine at the cecum
• Ileocecal (3 rd sphincter muscle or valve) separates the ileum and cecum
• Prevents the chyme from returning to the ileum

• When food has completed its passage through the small intestines ONLY wastes, indigestible materials and excess water remain

• Completes the process of digestion
• Absorbs the products of digestion into the bloodstream for use by body cells
• Produced by the small intestine
• Contain the enzymes: maltase, sucrose, and lactase which break down sugars into simple forms
• Also contain enzymes known as peptidases which complete the digestion of protein

• Liquid that enters small intestine from the liver and gallbladder
• Emulsifies or physically breaks down fats
• Liquid that enters small intestine from the pancreas
• Contains enzymes that complete the process of digestion including:
• Pancreatic amylase – acts on sugars
• Trypsin and chymotrypsin – acts on proteins
• Lipase – acts on fats

• Finger-like projections that line the wall of the small intestine
• Allow food to be absorbed or taken into the bloodstream
• Contains blood capillaries and lacteals
• Blood capillaries absorb or pick up the digested nutrients and carry them to the liver where they are stored or released into general circulation for use by body cells

– final section of the alimentary canal
• About 5 feet long and about 2 inches in diameter
• Includes:
• Cecum – appendix hangs from see function debate
• Colon
• Rectum

• Functions:
• Absorption of water and any remaining nutrients
• Storage of indigestible materials before they are eliminated from the body

Cecum – first section of large intestine
• Connects with the ileum of the small intestine
• Contains a small projection called the vermiform appendix

Ascending colon – continues up on the right side of the body from the cecum to the lower part of the liver

• Transverse colon – extends across the abdomen, below the liver and stomach, below the liver and stomach, but above the small intestine

• Descending colon – extends down the left side of the body

• Sigmoid colon – connects with descending colon
• “S” shaped section that joins with the rectum

Rectum – final 6 to 8 inches
• Storage area for indigestible material or wastes
• Has a narrow canal called the anal canal, which opens at the anus (4 th & last sphincter muscle)
• Fecal material or stool, the final waste product of the digestive process, is expelled through the anus

• Liver – largest gland in the body
• Located under the diaphragm in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen

• Functions of the liver:
• Secretes bile
• Used to emulsify or physically break up fats
• Makes fats water soluble, which is necessary for absorption
• Stores sugar in the form of glycogen
• Glycogen is converted to glucose
• Released into the bloodstream when additional blood sugar is needed

• Stores iron and certain vitamins
• Produces heparin, a substance that prevents clotting of the blood
• Produces blood proteins such as fibrinogen and prothrombin, which aid in clotting the blood
• Produces cholesterol
• Detoxifies (renders less harmful) substances such as alcohol and pesticides, and destroys bacteria that have been taken into the blood from the intestine

• Gallbladder – small muscular sac
• Located under the liver and attached to it by connective tissue
• Stores and concentrates bile, which it receives from the liver
• When the bile is needed in the digestive tract to emulsify fats, it contracts and pushes the bile through the common bile duct into the duodenum

• Pancreas – fish shaped organ located behind the stomach
• Produces pancreatic juices
• Juices enter duodenum through the pancreatic duct

• Contains enzymes to digest food
• Pancreatic amylase to break down sugar
• Trypsin and chymotrypsin to break down proteins
• Lipase to break down fats
• Produces insulin (Endocrine
System)
• Secreted into the bloodstream
• Regulates the metabolism or burning of carbohydrates to convert glucose (blood sugar) into energy

• Condition that occurs when fecal material remains in the colon too long causing excessive reabsorption of water
• Feces (or stool) becomes hard, dry, and difficult to eliminate

• Causes:
• Poor bowel habits
• Chronic use of laxatives causing a lazy bowel
• Diets low in fiber
• Certain digestive diseases
• Treatment:
• Usually corrected by a diet high in fiber, adequate fluids and exercise
• At times, laxatives are used to stimulate defecation

• Condition characterized by frequent watery stools
• Extremely dangerous in infants and small children due to the excessive loss of fluids

• Appendicitis – acute inflammation can cause peritonitis, serious condition
• Cholecystitis – inflammation of the gallbladder can cause cholelithiasis
• Cirrhosis – chronic destruction of liver
(hepat/o) cells
• Diverticulitis – inflammation of the diverticula, a pouch or sac; fecal matter gets trapped
• Gastroenteritis – inflammation of the mucous membrane (lines gastr/o & enter/o)

• Hemorrhoids – painful dilated varicose veins of the rectum &/or anus
• Hepatitis – (A-E) viral inflammation of the hepat/o
• Hernia or rupture – occurs when an internal organ pushes thru a weakened area or natural opening in a body wall
• Hiatal hernia – involves gastr/o protruding through the diaphram and into the Thorac/o thru the cardiac/esophageal sphincter
• Inguinal hernia – occurs when a section of the enter/o protrudes thru the inguinal rings of the lower abdominal wall.

• Peritonitis – inflammation of the abdominal peritoneal cavity, due to a rupture (rrhexis)
• Ulcer –is an open sore on the lining of the digestive tract
• Ulcerative colitis – a severe inflammation of the colon forming ulcers and abscesses.

• Dental Assistant
• Dental Hygienist
• Dentist
• Dietetic Assistant
• Dietitian
• Enterostomal RN or Technician
• Gastroenterologist
• Hepatologist
• Internist
• Proctologist

• Root Word: ile/o Denotes the relationship to the third or distal portion of the ileum of the small intestine
• ileectomy – surgical removal of the ileum
• ileorectostomy – opening or mouth of the rectum and ileum
• ileocecal – pertaining to the cecum and ileum
• ileotomy – surgical incision of the ileum
• Ileitis – inflammation of the ileum

• Root Word: hepat/o Denotes the liver
• Hepatic – pertaining to the liver
• Hepatorenal – pertaining to the kidney and liver
• Hepatomegaly – enlargement of the liver
• Hepatitis –inflammation of the liver
• Hepatorrhaphy – to surture the liver

• Root Word: gloss/o, gloss/ia Denotes the tongue
• Glossitis – inflammation of the tongue
• Glossoplegia – paralysis of the tongue
• Ankyloglossia – crooked, bent tongue
• Glossectomy – surgical removal of the tongue
• Glossorrhaphy – to suture the tongue

• Root Word: Chei/o, Labi/o, Denotes the lip
• Cheilitis – inflammation of the lip
• Cheilophagia – to eat the lip
• Cheilotomy – surgical incision of the lip
• Cheiloschisis – to split the lip
• Cheilorrhapy – to suture the lip

• Root Word: proct/o, denotes rectum or anus
• Proctologist – specialist of the rectum or anus
• Proctoptosis – falling or prolapse of the rectum or anus
• Proctocele – hernia of the rectum or anus
• Proctopexy – fixing or fastening of the rectum or anus
• Proctoscopy – visual examination of the rectum or anus

• Root Word: Enter/o, denotes the intestines
• Enterococcus – bacteria of the intestines
• Enterolithiasis – disease condition of rock or stone
• Enterorrhexis – rupture of the rectum or anus
• Enterocleisis – closure of the rectum or anus
• Enteroclysis – washing out of the rectum or anus

• Root Word: Choledoch/o, denotes bile, & common bile duct (tube)
• Root Word: Chlecyst/o, denotes bile sac or
“gallbladder”
• Cholecystectomy – surgical removal of the bile sac
• Choledochotomy – surgical incision into the common bile duct
• Cholecystitis – inflammation of the bile sac
• Choledochogastrostomy – opening or mouth to the gastr/o & to the common bile duct
• Choledocholith – stone or rock in the common bile duct

• Root Word: pancreat/o, denotes the pancreas
• Pancreatitis – inflammation of the pancreas
• Pancreatoid – resembling or like of the pancreas
• Pancreatic – pertaining to the pancreas
• Pancreatectomy – surgical removal of the pancrea
• Pancreatolith – stone or rock in the pancreas

IV
J
Jt
I
ICU inj int
Isol or isol
IUD
Meaning
Intensive Care Unit injection internal
Isolation
Intrauterine Device
Intravenous
Meaning joint

K k kcl kg
KUB
Meaning
Potassium
Potassium Chloride
Kilogram
Kidneys (2), Ureters
(2), Bladder (1)

L
Lap
L
L & D
L & W
Lft
Lab
Lat lb
LDL lg liq
LMP
Meaning
Laparotomy
Lumbar
Labor & Delivery
Living Well left
Laboratory
Lateral
Pound
Low Density Lipo Protein
Large
Liquid
Last Menstrual Period