1. Digestive system
Gastroenterology

2. Gastroenterology Science of gastrointestinal or just GI system
Gastro- stands for stomach
Intestinal- stands for intestines

3. What is Body’s System?
System – group of organs that perform specific function in the human body
There are 10 of them, we will study them all
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Circulatory (cardiovascular)
Respiratory
Digestive
Endocrine
Immune
Lymphatic
Muscular
Skeletal
Nervous
Urinary (excretory)
Reproductive

4. Digestive, or gastrointestinal System introduction
Khan academy – Anatomy and Physiology – Digestive System For curious minds– 15 short videos, part by part
First – Introduction:
g/science/health-and- medicine/human-anatomy- and- physiology/gastrointestinal- system-introduction/v/meet- the-gastrointestinal-tract
CrashCourse
3 parts.
Here is the first one:
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5. Terminology Anatomy – the study of body structure
Physiology – the study of body function
Pathophysiology – the study of a disease process
Anatomy
Physiology
Pathophysiology

6. More terminology
Peristalsis – muscular contraction of GI system which advances the content from mouth to anus
Fecal incontinence – inability to control defecation, leads to involuntary passage of stool and gas
----- Meeting Notes (1/22/14 12:36) ----- :)

7. Stool frequency Passage: Less often than every two days – constipation
More often than twice a day – diarrhea
Passage:
It takes usually hours for food to pass GI tract completely
The self study:
Eat beets and see how soon your stool will turn purple.
If it is less than 24 hours, your GI tract is active enough.

8. Normal Defecation (stool expel)
Normal defecation frequency – from twice a day to every two days
Normal size – about size of average banana
Small stool- half banana
Large stool – two bananas
Normally stool is brown and soft

9. Homework Ann Ehrlich “Medical Terminology” Chapter 8
Gastrointestinal System p
Test on Wednesday, Dec 14
Hartman “Nursing Assisting”
Chapter 15 Gastrointestinal system p
Test on Thursday, Dec 15

10. Most common GI conditions
GERD – gastro-esophageal reflex disease – affects 20% of Americans (NIH)
Gallstones – about 20 million Americans
Celiac Disease – gluten intolerance – one in 133 Americans
Crohn’s disease – inflammation of upper intestines – ileum. 700K in US
Ulcerative colitis – inflammation of lower intestine – colon 700K in US
Irritable Bowel Syndrome- 15% of population – diarrhea followed by constipation, bloating. Possible cause – dysbacteriosis of intestines.
Hemorrhoids – by NIDDK data 75% of people over 45 y.o. have them.
Diverticulitis – weak spots in the lining of the colon
Anal fissure – long narrow bleeding split of the anus – most commonly due to constipation

11. GERD
GERD – gastroesophageal reflux disease - very common condition when content of the stomach backs up to the esophagus.
Symptoms – heartburn, hoarseness in the morning

12. Crohn’s disease Type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease
Symptoms – abdominal pain, diarrhea

13. Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids, are vascular structures in the anal canal which help with stool control. They become pathological or piles when swollen or infla med.
Normally they act as a cushion composed of arterio-venous channels that aid the passage of stool.
Symptoms – pain, bleeding
Treatment – surgical removal
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14. Diverticulosis
 is the condition of having diverticula in the colon, which are outpocketings of the colonic mucosa and submucosa through weaknesses of muscle layers in the colon wall.
Symptoms – abdominal cramps and abdomen tenderness in affected areas
Diverticulitis – inflammation of diverticula

15. Bowel movement – BM - monitoring
Every patient in a health care facility supposed to be on a bowel movement monitoring
At the end of your shift you need to document either patient has a BM or not, a size, any abnormalities you noticed – loose, bloody, etc.

16. Bristol stool chart

17. Constipation No stool for more than two days - constipation
Report to the nurse – patient needs laxatives (medications which ease defecation)

18. Fecal impaction -Bowel (fecal) impaction – a mass of hard stool what can’t be expelled without medical intervention

19. Common emergency conditions
Bowel obstruction – obstruction inside the lumen of small or large intestine what prevents intestinal content from moving forward. Can be cancer, intestinal twist, scar tissue, or foreign object. Requires surgery most of the time.
Bowel obstruction on X ray with dilated small intestine and multiple air fluid levels

20. Perforated peptic ulcers

21. Appendicitis

22. Prevention of GI problems
Active life style
Proper nutrition - vegetable based diets – Fiber!
Drinking enough fluids
Fiber, fiber, fiber – raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds
Stress management