Chapter 42- Bowel Elimination

Question 1

borborygmi

Answer 1

loud, rumbling sounds produced by the normal movement of gas through the intestines; aka “stomach growling”

Question 2

colostomy

Answer 2

opening of a part of the colon onto the abdominal skin surface

Question 3

constipation

Answer 3

infrequent, sometimes painful passage of hard, dry stool

Question 4

defication reflex

Answer 4

involuntary response of intestinal contraction and anal sphincter relaxation to rectal distention

Question 5

diarrhea

Answer 5

frequent evacuation of watery stool

Question 6

distention

Answer 6

condition of being stretched or inflated

Question 7

enema

Answer 7

insertion of fluid into the rectum and colon

Question 8

flatus

Answer 8

gas in the gastrointestinal tract

Question 9

gastric lavage

Answer 9

irrigation of the stomach

Question 10

gavage

Answer 10

liquid food instilled into the stomach through the nasogastric tube; aka “enteral nutrition”

Question 11

guaiac

Answer 11

test to reveal the presence of blood in the feces

Question 12

hemorrhoid

Answer 12

enlarged or vericose veins into the anal canal

Question 13

ileostomy

Answer 13

opening of the ileum onto the abdominal skin surface via a stoma

Question 14

impaction

Answer 14

accumulation of hardened feces in the rectum

Question 15

meconium

Answer 15

first feces of a newborn

Question 16

ostomate

Answer 16

client who has a recent ostomy

Question 17

paralytic ileus

Answer 17

condition in which the bowel is temporarily paralyzed and distention occurs

Question 18

peristalsis

Answer 18

mobility and movement of the intestines

Question 19

sigmoidoscopy

Answer 19

diagnostic examination of the rectum and sigmoid colon

Question 20

stoma

Answer 20

artificially created opening on the abdominal skin surface

Question 21

suppository

Answer 21

medication inserted into the rectum or the vagina

Question 22

valsalva maneuver

Answer 22

actions to assist defication including taking a deep breath against a closed glottis (to move diaphragm down), contracting the abdominal muscles (to increase intra-abdominal pressure) and contracting the pelvic floor of muscles (to push feces down)