The Digestive System

Salivary Glands Located in your lips , inner cheek area, and down your throat Used to moisten your mouth and initiate digestion Help protect your teeth from decaying The most common problem in your salivary glands is shown in children; mumps

Esophagus Helps us bring food to our stomach Esophageal cancers are association with tobacco and alcohol consumption, which are often associated with a history of gastro esophageal reflux disease It is about 25 centimeters It runs behind the windpipe and the heart, and in front of the spine A condition of the esophagus is heartburn

Liver Liver sits on the right side of the stomach Protected by the rib cage The main job is to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract Liver also makes protein important for blood clotting and other functions

Gallbladder Gallbladder is a small pouch located under the liver After meals the gallbladder is empty and flat, like a deflated balloon One common condition is gallbladder cancer The gallbladder is a storage vessel for liver bile. It acts as a reservoir for holding bile on its way from the liver to the intestines.

Stomach It helps by breaking down your food to liquids and little solids A common problem in your stomach is stomach cancer It is located between the esophagus and the small intestine The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the digestion system which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract

Small intestine A micrograph of a small intestine The average length of the small intestine in an adult human male is 6.9 m (22 feet 6 inches), and in the adult female 7.1 m (23 feet 4 inches). It can vary greatly, from as short as 4.6 m (15 feet) to as long as 9.8 m (32 feet). The small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract following the stomach and followed by the large intestine, and is where much of the digestion and absorption of food takes place. The small intestine is a tubular structure within the mid-section that carries the food into the stomach up to the colon from where the large intestine carries it to the rectum and out of the body through the anus. A common problem is intestinal obstruction, which is when food or stool cannot move through the intestines

Colon It is located in the mid-section of the human body Also called “the large intestine” The ascending colon travels up the right side of the abdomen The transverse colon travels across the abdomen The descending colon travels down the left side of the left abdomen The sigmoid colon is a short curving of the colon A problem in the colon is colitis, Inflammation of the colon. Inflammatory bowel disease or infections are the most common causes. The main function of the colon is absorption of water and minerals

Pancreas A micrograph of the pancreas The pancreas is located deep in the abdomen, sandwiched between the stomach and the spine The pancreas is 6 to 10 inches long A common problem in the pancreas is neoplasm, tumor, benign tumor, malignant tumor, and cancer The pancreas produces important enzymes and hormones that help break down foods

The End! Thanks for watching!