1. Chapter 11
Digestive System

2. Objective 1: Identify organs and structures of the digestive system.
Chapter 11
Objective 1: Identify organs and structures of the digestive system.

3. Digestive System
The digestive tract, also known as the alimentary canal or the gastrointestinal tract, abbreviated as GI tract, is a long continuous tube comprising the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus. Accessory organs are the salivary glands, liver, bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreas.
What is the term that describes the involuntary wavelike movements that propel food along the digestive tract?
Where does peristalsis begin?

4. Functions of the Digestive System
Functions of the digestive tract are ingestion, the taking of nutrients though the mouth; digestion, the mechanical and chemical break down of food for use by body cells; absorption, the transfer of digested food from the small intestine to the blood steam; and elimination, the removal of solid waste from the body.
What differentiates digestive organs from accessory organs?
Explain their respective roles in the digestive process.

5. Organs of the Digestive System
The digestive system is also known as the alimentary canal, the gastrointestinal tract, or is abbreviated as the GI tract.

6. Organs of the Digestive Tract
mouth: opening through which food passes into the body; breaks food into small particles by mastication and mixing with saliva
– palate: separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity
– soft palate: posterior portion (not supported by bone)
– hard palate: anterior portion (supported by bone)
– uvula: soft V-shaped structure that extends from the soft palate; directs food into the throat
What is mastication?
Where does digestion begin?

7. Organs of the Digestive Tract (cont’d)
tongue: consists mostly of skeletal muscle; it provides movement of food for mastication, directs food to the pharynx for swallowing, and is a major organ for taste and speech
pharynx (throat): performs the swallowing action that passes food from the mouth into the esophagus
Discuss the roles of these digestive tract organs.

8. Organs of the Digestive Tract (cont’d)
esophagus: 10-inch tube that is a passageway for food, extending from the pharynx to the stomach
– peristalsis, involuntary wavelike movements that propel food along the digestive tract; begins in the esophagus
Discuss peristalsis.

9. Organs of the Digestive Tract (cont’d)
stomach: J-shaped sac that mixes and stores food; container for food
small intestine: 20-foot tube extending from the pyloric sphincter to the large intestine
What is the pyloric sphincter and what is its function?

10. Organs of the Digestive Tract (cont’d)
large intestine: approx. 5 feet tube that extends from the ileum to the anus; absorption of water and transit of the solid waste products of digestion take place in the large intestine
Duodenum is derived from the Latin duodeni, meaning 12 each, a reference to its length. It was named in 240 BC by a Greek physician.
Jejunum is derived from the Latin jejunus, meaning empty; it was so named because the early anatomists always found it empty.
Ileum is derived from the Greek eilein, meaning to roll, a reference to the peristaltic waves that move food along the digestive tract. This term was first used in the early part of the seventeenth century.

11. Accessory Organs
salivary glands: produce saliva, which flows into the mouth to begin the digestion process
liver: produces bile, which is necessary for the digestion of fats
bile ducts: passageways that carry bile:
Describe the roles of these organs in the digestive process.
The liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder comprise the biliary system. What is the function of the biliary system? Answer: creates, transports, stores, and releases bile into the small intestine to facilitate the absorption of fat.

12. Accessory Organs (cont’d)
gallbladder: small, saclike structure that stores bile produced by the liver
pancreas: produces pancreatic juice, which helps digest all types of food and secretes insulin for carbohydrate metabolism
What are the islets of Langerhans and where are they located?
Bile is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder.

13. Other Structures
peritoneum: serous sac lining of the abdominal and pelvic cavities
appendix: small pouch, which has no known function, attached to the cecum
abdomen: portion of the body between the thorax and the pelvis
Identify the relationship of these structures to the anatomy of the digestive system.
What is the purpose of the appendix?

14. Review Question In choledocholithiasis, which is the word root
that means stone?
doch
lith
chol
Answer: b) lith
Choledoch/o means common bile duct.

15. Chapter 11
Objective 2: Define and spell word parts related to the digestive system.

16. Combining Forms of the Digestive Tract
an/o
antr/o
cec/o
col/o, colon/o
duoden/o
enter/o
esophag/o
gastr/o
ile/o
jejun/o
or/o, stomat/o
proct/o, rect/o
sigmoid/o
Discuss the meanings of these combining forms and the anatomical structures to which they refer.
col/o and colon/o denote the large intestine.
enter/o denotes the small intestine.

17. Combining Forms of the Accessory Organs/Combining Forms Commonly Used with Digestive System Terms
abdomin/o, celi/o, lapar/o
append/o, appendic/o
cheil/o
cholangi/o
chol/e
choledoch/o
diverticul/o
gingiv/o
gloss/o, lingu/o
hepat/o
herni/o
palat/o
pancreat/o
peritone/o
polyp/o
pylor/o
sial/o
steat/o
uvul/o
Discuss the meanings of these combining forms and the anatomical structures to which they refer.
Ask students to provide examples of medical terms using append and appendic (appendectomy - appendicitis).
Ask students to provide examples of medical terms using gloss and lingu (glossorrhaphy – sublingual).

18. Prefix and Suffix Prefix Suffix hemi- -pepsia
A common prefix and suffix used in language related to the digestive system: hemi- = half and -pepsia = digestion.
What is dyspepsia?

19. Chapter 11
Objective 3: Define, pronounce, and spell disease and disorder terms related to the digestive system.

20. Disease and Disorder Terms Built from Word Parts
appendicitis (animation on Student Evolve site)
cholangioma
cholecystitis (animation on Student Evolve site)
choledocholithiasis
cholelithiasis
colitis
diverticulitis (animation on Student Evolve site)
diverticulosis
esophagitis
gastritis
gastroenteritis
gastroenterocolitis
gingivitis
glossitis
Ask students to pronounce and define the disease and disorder terms.

21. Disease and Disorder Terms Built from Word Parts (cont’d)
hepatitis
hepatoma
palatitis
pancreatitis
peritonitis (animation on Student Evolve site)
polyposis
proctoptosis
rectocele
sialolith
steatohepatitis
uvulitis
Ask students to pronounce and define the disease and disorder terms.
Polyposis presents a high potential for malignancy.
Steatohepatitis is often caused by alcohol abuse and obesity, and over time may cause cirrhosis.
NASH or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis may occur in nonalcoholic patients who are obese and/or suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus.

22. Review Question Which is inflammation of a structure of the mouth?
proctoptosis
uvulitis
esophagitis
Answer: B) uvulitis
Ask students to pronounce and define proctoptosis and esophagitis.

23. Chapter 11
Objective 6: Define, pronounce, and spell complementary terms related to the digestive system.

24. Complementary Terms Built from Word Parts
abdominal
anal
aphagia
celiac
colorectal
duodenal
dyspepsia
dysphagia
enteropathy
esophageal
gastric
gastroenterologist
gastroenterology
gastromalacia
hepatomegaly
ileocecal
Ask students to pronounce and define the complementary terms.

25. Complementary Terms Built from Word Parts (cont’d)
nasogastric (animation on Student Evolve site)
oral
pancreatic
peritoneal
proctologist
proctology
rectal
steatorrhea
steatosis
stomatitis
stomatogastric
sublingual
Ask students to pronounce and define the listed terms.
How would a medication ordered to be taken sublingually be taken?

26. Chapter 11
Objective 8: Interpret, read, and comprehend medical language in simulated medical statements, documents, and electronic health records.

27. Radiology Report ENCOUNTER DATE: 2/17/20XX
EXAMINATION: Abdominal Ultrasound
HISTORY: Nausea, fatigue, and jaundice.
FINDINGS: Multiple scans of the upper abdomen show no focal hepatic lesions. There are numerous small shadowing calculi within the gallbladder. The gallbladder wall is not thickened, there is no pericholecystic fluid collection. The common bile duct is normal in caliber, measuring 4 mm in maximum diameter. No calculi are seen within the common bile duct. The spleen is not enlarged. No focal abnormality is identified within the pancreas.
IMPRESSION: Cholelithiasis. No associated biliary dilatation. The upper abdominal sonogram is otherwise normal.
This is an example of how medical terms are used in a medical report. Ask students to define the underlined terms.