Abdominal Assessment

• Mouth


  is a mucous membrane-lined cavity where food enters the digestive tract
• Salivary glands

  • parotid
  • sublingual
  • submandibular
• Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

  • mouth and salivary glands
  • esophagus
  • stomach
  • small intestine
• Lower Gastrointestinal Tract

  • large intestine
  • rectum
  • anus
• Regions/parts of small intestine

  • duodenum
  • jejunum
  • ileum
• Esophagus


  its primary function is to transport solids and liquids from the mouth into the stomach
• Mouth


  where digestion begins
• Hard palate


  anterior roof of the mouth
• Tonsils

  • palatine
  • lingual
• Epiglottis


  guardian of the airway
• Stomach


  mix food with digestive juices, causing the chemical and mechanical breakdown of food into chyme before entering the small intestine
• Chyme


  thick fluid mass of partially digested food and gastric secretions that is passed from the stomach to the small intestine
• Hydrochloric acid


  combines with the digestive enzymes to cause breakdown of food structures
• Hydrochloric acid


  helps kill harmful bacteria ingested with the foods
• Pepsin


  is an enzyme produced in the mucosal lining of the stomach that acts to degrade protein
• Intrinsic factor


  is a protein produced by the cells in the stomach lining
• Intrinsic factor


  it is needed for the intestines to efficiently absorb Vitamin B12 which is needed to produce absorb red blood cells
• Mucus


  protects the stomach lining from damage by the gastric acid and enzyme activity
• Small intestine


  has digestive and absorptive functions, intestinal juices and bile from the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas mix with the chyme for digestion and absorption of nutrients
• Duodenum


  part of small intestine that secretes hormones that trigger the pancreas to release pancreatic juice and bile
• Duodenum


  part of small intestine that protects the intestine by secreting chemicals that neutralize the acidity of the chyme from the stomach befor it reaches the jejunum
• Jejunum


  part of small intestine that controls the carbohydrate and protein absorption
• Ileum


  part of small intestine responsible for the absorption of fats, bile salts, and water
• Regions/parts of large intestine

  • cecum
  • appendix
  • ascending colon
  • transverse colon
  • descending colon
  • sigmoid colon
  • rectum
  • anus
• Large intestine


  the primary organ for bowel elimination
• Rectum


  the final portion of the large intestine and absorbs excess water
• Sensory nerves in the anal canal help control bowel continence.
• Rectum


  has internal and external anal sphincter each controlled by sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
• Defecation


  also called as bowel movement
• Defecation


  the final act of digestion
• Bristol Stool Chart


  developed in 1997 as a clinical assessment tool and designed to classify stools into seven groups
• Characteristics of feces vary depending on diet, illness, medications, age
• Peristalsis


  a type of intestinal motility, characterized by radially symmetrical contraction and relaxation of muscles that propagate in a wave down a tube, in an anterograde direction
• Kidneys


  the major excretory organs of the body
• Nephrons


  functional units of the kidneys
• Kidneys


  organs located bilaterally below the ribs toward the middle of the back
• Functions of kidneys:

  • filter liquid waste from the blood
  • balance electrolytes in the blood
  • regulate blood volume and pressure
  • produce erythropoietin for RBC formation
  • synthesize Vitamin D to help control Calcium levels
  • maintain the acid-base balance of the extracellular fluid
• type 1 - rabbit droppings
• type 2 - bunch of grapes
• type 3 - corn on cob