Diseases of Intestine

 

                   Diseases of Intestine

Structure of Intestine

Intestine is divided into two parts, small intestine and large intestine.

Small intestine

1.It is a 8 foot long tube. However due to relaxation of its muscle after death, its length measure 20 to 21 feet at the time of a postmortem examination.

2.It begins at the pyloric end of the stomach and ends at the caecum.

3.It is divided into three parts.

           .Duodenum

           .Jejunum.

           .Ileum.

4.It has four layers.

            .Serosa: Outer layer of visceral peritoneum.

            .Muscularis: Layer of smooth muscle under the serosa.

             .Submucosa: Layer of loose connective tissue under the muscularis.

             .Mucosa: Mucosa membrane lining the lumen of the intestine.

5.Undigested food is emptied into the large intestine.

6.The following digestive juices are emptied into the small intestine for digestive of food:-

 

Digestive Juices Emptied into Small Intestine

Source	Digestive juice
Liver and gall bladder	Bile
Pancreas	Pancreatic juice.
Small intestine	Intestinal juice.

 

Large Intestine

1.It is a 5 feet long tube with a diameter of 2.5”.

2.It extends from the end of ileum to the anus.

3.It has the following parts:-

        .Caecum.

           .Colon.

           .Rectum.

           .Anal canal.

4.Caecum is in continuity with the end of the ileum. Ileocecal valve is found at the junction of the two. The appendix tissue in the appendix  protects from infection.

5.The wall of large intestine is thicker than that of the small intestine. There longitudinal bands of smooth muscle along its outer surface called Taenia coli.

6.There are small tags of fat attached to its outer surface called  appendices epiploicae.

7.The Taenia and appendices are not seen in the wall of the rectum and anal canal.

8.At the lower end of the anal canal is the anal sphincters, external and internal.

 

Function

Part of intestine	Function
Small intestine	.Digestion of food. .Absorption of products of digestion of food. .Propulsion of undigested food to the large intestine for excretion.
Caecum	.Receptacle at the beginning of the large intestine. .Asorption of water.
Colon	.Absorption of water so that solid stool is formed. .Absorption of electrolytes and glucose. .Propulsion of undigested food to the rectum for excretion.
Appendix	.Presence of large amount of lymphoid tissue protects from infection. It is a vestigial organ.
Anal canal	The anal sphincters prevent passage of stool until it socially acceptable to pass stool.

 

Symptoms of Disturbance of Large Intestine

Abnormal Stool

Abdominal Colic.

Constipation.

Flatulence.

Diarrhoea.

Dysentery.

 

Observation of Stools

Variable	Normal	Abnormalities            Feature	Cause
Colour	Light or dark brown	Blackish	.Green leafy vegetables. .Iron therapy. .Upper intestinal Haemorrhage.
		Clay	.Jaundice.
		Red	.Blood in stools.
		Pea soup	.Typhoid.
		Rice Water	.Cholera.
Odour	Sour	Foul	.Indigestion.
	Obnoxious.	Rotten fish	.Pus in stools
		Dysentery	.Sour.
Volume	10 to 12 oz	Large	.Greater high residue diet.
Volume		Low	.Low residue diet. .Fasting, with only milk intake.
Consistency	Medium passed easily.	Hard	.Constipation.
		Liquid	.Diarrhoea.
		Blood and mucus	.Dysentery.
		Rice water	.Cholera.
		Pea soup	.Typhoid.
		Froth ,oily	.Hepatitis.
Frequency	1/ 2 per day.	>2 days	.Constipation.
		>2 days	.Diarrhoea, dysentery, colitis, cholera, indigestion.
Reaction	Slightly alkaline.	Acid	.Diarrhoea, dysentery.
Defecation	Painless	Painful and difficult	.Constipation .Fissure in anal. .Perianal abscess. .Prolapsed, thrombosed piles.
		With colic	. Dysentery. .Gastroenteritis.
Microscopy	Undigested food particles	Worms(round worm, hook worm, thread worm),eggs of worms, E .histolytica, blood, mucus.