Digestive System

• Pancreas


  An elongated, somewhat flattened organ that lies posterior and slightly inferior to the stomach. It performs both endocrine and exocrine functions.
• Pancreas endocrine function


  Secretes insulin directly into the bloodstream to maintain normal blood glucose levels
• Pancreas exocrine function


  Produces digestive enzymes that pass into the duodenum through the pancreatic duct
• Pancreatic duct


  Extends along the pancreas and, together with the hepatic duct from the liver, enters the duodenum
• Digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas


  Trypsin (breaks down proteins), amylase (breaks down carbohydrates), lipase (breaks down fat)
• Gallbladder


  A saclike structure on the inferior surface of the liver that serves as a storage area for bile, which is produced by the liver
• Gallbladder function


  When bile is needed for digestion, the gallbladder releases it into the duodenum through the common bile duct
• Hepatic duct


  Drains bile from the liver
• Cystic duct


  Merges with the hepatic duct to form the common bile duct, which leads into the duodenum
• Bile production is stimulated by hormone secretions produced in the duodenum, as soon as food enters the small intestine
• Without bile, fat digestion is not possible
• The main function of the digestive system is to provide vital nutrients for growth, maintenance, and repair of all organs and body cells
• Functional relationships between the digestive system and other body systems

  • Blood, lymph, and immune
  • Cardiovascular
  • Endocrine
  • Female reproductive
  • Genitourinary
  • Integumentary
  • Musculoskeletal
  • Nervous
  • Respiratory
• Oral


  Pertaining to the mouth
• Stomatitis


  Inflammation of the mouth
• Glossectomy


  Removal of all or part of the tongue
• Lingual


  Pertaining to the tongue
• Buccal


  Pertaining to the cheek
• Cheiloplasty


  Surgical repair of a defective lip
• Labial


  Pertaining to the lips, particularly the lips of the mouth
• Dentist


  Specialist who diagnoses and treats diseases and disorders of teeth
• Orthodontist


  Dentist who specializes in correcting and preventing irregularities of abnormally positioned or aligned teeth
• Gingivectomy


  Excision of diseased gingival tissue
• Sialolith


  Calculus formed in a salivary gland or duct
• Esophagoscope

  Instrument used to examine the esophagus
• Pharyngotonsillitis


  Inflammation of the pharynx and tonsils
• Gastralgia


  Pain in the stomach; also called stomachache
• Pylorospasm


  Involuntary contraction of the pyloric sphincter of the stomach, as in pyloric stenosis
• Duodenoscopy


  Visual examination of the duodenum
• Enteropathy


  Disease of the intestine
• Jejunorrhaphy


  Suture of the jejunum
• Ileostomy


  Creation of an opening between the ileum and the abdominal wall
• Appendectomy


  Excision of the appendix
• Appendicitis


  Inflammation of the appendix
• Colostomy


  Creation of an opening between the colon and the abdominal wall
• Colonoscopy


  Visual examination of the colon
• Sigmoidotomy


  Incision of the sigmoid colon
• Rectocele


  Herniation or protrusion of the rectum; also called proctocele
• Proctologist


  Physician who specializes in treating disorders of the colon, rectum, and anus
• Perianal


  Pertaining to the area around the anus