Bowel glossary terms Flashcards
Anorexia
A condition in which ill or debilitated pts have poor appetites
Bolus
A large, round preparation of medicinal material for oral ingestion; a dose of medication or contrast material injected all at once intravenously.
Borborygmi
The audible abdominal sounds produced by hyperactive intestinal peristalsis
Cathartic
A drug that acts to promote bowel evacuation
Colon
The portion of the large intestine from the cecum to the rectum
Constipation
A condition characterized by difficulty in passing stool or an infrequent passage of hard stool
Defecation
The passage of feces from the digestive tratc through the rectum
Diarrhea
An increase in the number of stools and the passage of liquid, uniformed feces
Distention
A swelling of a body cavity that may be caused by fluid, gas, or a mass
Diverticula
The pouch-like herniation through the muscular wall of a tubular organ, which may be present in the stomach, small intestine, or the colon (most common)
Endoscopy
A visualization of the interior of body organs and cavities with an endoscope
Enema
A procedure involving introduction of a solution into the rectum for cleansing or therapeutic purposes
Feces
The waste or excrement from the gastrointestinal tract
Flatulence
A condition characterized by the accumulation of gas within the lumen of the intestines
Flatus
Intestinal gas
Guaiac test
A diagnostic test to detect blood in the stool
Hemorrhoids
Dilated, enlarged veins in the lining of the rectum
Incontinence
An ability to control urination or deification
Impaction
The presence of large or hard fecal mass in the rectum or colon
Laxative
A drug that acts to promote bowel evacuation
Melena
An abnormal black, sticky stool containing digested blood, which is indicative of gastrointestinal bleeding
Paralytic ileus
A usually temporary paralysis of the intestinal wall that may occur after abdominal surgery or peritoneal injury, and that causes cessation of peristalsis. This leads to abdominal distention and symptoms of obstruction.
Suppository
A solid form of medication inserted into a body cavity (rectum or vagina) The drug is absorbed after it dissolves in the cavity
Valsalva maneuver
A forced expiratory effort against a closed airway, as when an individual holds the breath and tightens the muscles in a concerted, strenuous effort to move a heavy object or to change positions in bed
