RT-DIGES

• Anus The distal opening of the digestive tract (root an/o)
• Appendix An appendage; usually means the narrow tube attached to the cecum, the vermiform (wormlike) appendix
• Bile The fluid secreted by the liver that aids in the digestion and absorption of fats (roots chole, bili)
• Cecum A blind pouch at the beginning of the large intestine (root cec/o)
• Colon The major portion of the large intestine, extends from the cecum to the rec tum and is formed by ascending, transverse, and descending portions (root collo, colon/o)
• Common BIle Duct The duct that carries bile into the duodenum; formed by the union of the cystic duct and the common hepatic duct (root choledoch/o)
• Duodenum The first portion of the small intestine (root duoden/o
• Esophagus The muscular tube that carries food from the pharynx to the stomach. The opening of the esophagus into the stomach is controlled by the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) (root esphag/o)
• Feces The waste material eliminated from the intestine (adjective, fecal); stool
• Gallbladder A sac on the undersurface of the liver that stores bile (root cholecyst/o)
• Hepatic Portal System A special pathway of the circulation that brings blood directly from the abdominal organs to the liver for processing (also called simply the portal system). The vessel that enters the liver is the hepatic portal vein (portal vein)
• Ileum The terminal portion of the small intestine (root ile/o)
• Intestine The portion of the digestive tract between the stomach and the anus. It consists of the small intestine and large intestine. OIt functions in digestions, absorption, and elimination of waste (root enter/o)
• Jejunum The middle portion of the small intestine (root jejun/o)
• Mastication Chewing
• Pancreas A large, elongated gland behind the stomach. It produces hormones that regu- late sugar metabolism and also produces digestive enzymes (root pancreat/o)
• Palate The roof of the mouth; the partition between the mouth and nasal cavity, consists of an anterior portion formed by bone, the hard palate, and a posterior portion formed of tissue, the soft palate (root palat/o)
• Peristalsis Wavelike contractions of the walls of an organ
• Pylorus The distal opening of the stomach into the duodenum. The opening is controlled by a ring of muscle, the pyloric sphincter (root pylor/o).
• Rectum The distal portion of the large intestine. It stores and eliminates undigested waste (root rect/o, proct/o)
• Saliva The clear secretion released into the mouth that moistens food and contains an enzyme that digests starch. It is produced by three pairs of glands: the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands (see Fig. 12-1) (root sial/o)
• Stomach A muscular saclike organ below the diaphragm that stores food and secretes juices that digest proteins (root gastr/o)
• Villi Tiny projections in the lining of the small intestine that absorb digested foods into the circulation (singular, villus)
• appendicitis 

  • Inflammation of the appendix
• ascites

  • Accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity; a form of edema. May be caused by heart disease, lymphatic or venous obstruction, cirrhosis, or changes in plasma composition
• bilirubin

  A pigment released in the breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells; mainly excreted by the liver in bile
• cholecystitis 

  Inflammation of the gallbladder
• cholelithiasis 

  The condition of having stones in the gallbladder; also used to refer to stones in the common bile duct
• cirrhosis

  Chronic liver disease with degeneration of liver tissue
• colic

  Acute abdominal pain, such as biliary colic caused by gallstones in the bile ducts
• Crohn disease 

  A chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract usually involving the ileum
• diarrhea

  The frequent passage of watery bowel movements
• diverticulitis

  Inflammation of diverticula (small pouches) in the wall of the digestive tract, especially in the colon
• diverticulosis 

  The presence of diverticula, especially in the colon
• dysphagia

  Difficulty in swallowing
• emesis

  Vomiting
• fistula

  An abnormal passageway between two organs or from an organ to the body surface, such as between the rectum and anus (anorectal fistula)
• pancreatitis 

  Inflammation of the pancreas
• peptic ulcer

  A lesion in the mucous membrane of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum caused by the action of gastric juice
• peritonitis 

  Inflammation of the peritoneum, the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers the abdominal organs. May result from perforation of an ulcer, rupture of the appendix, or infection of the reproductive tract, among other causes.