Anatomy of the Distal GI Tract Flashcards
What are the components of the distal GI tract
- Colon - Caecum, appendix, ascending, transvers and descending colon
- Rectum
- Anal canal
- Anus
Whats the anatomy of Faecal continene
Control of the excretion of faeces- complex
- Needs holding area (rectum) to store faeces until appropriate do defecate
- Normal visceral affarents nerve fibres to sense the fullness of the rectum
- Functioning muscle sphincters - around the distal end of the GI tract to respond to the fullness
- To contract preventing defecation and relax allowing defecation
What can affect faecal continence
- Neurological pathology - dementia, stroke, MS, trauma
- Medications
- Natural age-related degeneration of nerves innervation of muscle
- Consistency of stool
Describe the anatomy of the pelvic cavity
- Lies within the bony pelvis
- Continues with the abdominal cavity
- Lies between the pelvic inlet (superior aspect) and pelvic floor
- Contains pelvic organs and supporting tissues
- Rectum - located within the pelvic cavity
Which muscle formes the pelvic floor
Levator ani
Separates the pelvic cavity from the perineum
Whats the significant of openings in the pelvic floor
Permits the distal parts of alimentary, anal and reproductive tracts to pass from the pelvic cavity into the perineum
At what level does the sigmoid colon become the rectum
S3 - Recto-sigmoid junction
When does the rectum become the anal canal
Anterior to tip of coccyx -just after passing through levator ani muscle
What are locations of the rectum anal canal
- Anus is the distal end of the anal canal both- perineum
- Rectum - pelvis
What is the rectal ampulla and whats its anatomy
- Lies immediately superior to the levator ani muscle
- Walls relax to accommodate faecal material
- contains functioning muscle and sphincters to hold faeces in the ampulla until appropriate to defecate
- Function: Stores faeces
Describe the anatomical relations of the rectum
- Rectouterine/rectovesical pouch lies anterior to the superior rectum
- Males - the prostate gland lies anterior to the inferior rectum
- females - the vagina and cervix lies anterior to the inferior/middle rectum
What is the superior rectum covered by
Peritoneum
Describe the anatomy to the Levator ani muscle
- Forms most of the pelvic diaphragm along with Fascial covering
- Made up of a number of smaller muscles -> Puboccygeus, puborectalis and illeococcygeus
- Forms most of the pelvis floor and most of the peritoneum roof
- Skeletal muscle
What are the functions of the levator ani muscle
- support for pelvic organs - most of the time tonically contracted
- Reflexively contracts further during increased intra-abdominal pressure - e.g coughing, Sneezing
- Relaxes during - urination and defecation
What is the nerve innervation of the Levator ani
‘nerve to levator ani’
- Branch of the sacral plexus and pudendal S2,3,4