Lower GI Tract Flashcards
List the 7 main structures within the colon (large intestine)
Appendix
Caecum
Ascending colon
Transverse colon
Descending colon
Sigmoid colon
Rectum (—>anus)
List the 3 major organs supplied by the celiac artery
Stomach
Liver
Spleen
List the 3 major organs supplied by the superior mesenteric artery
Small intestine
Large intestine
Pancreas
Name the organ supplied by the inferior mesenteric artery
Colon
Name the major vein where the majority of organs in the gastrointestinal tract drains blood into.
Portal Vein
List the 4 major layers of the GI tract
Mucosa
Submucosa
Muscularis
Serosa
List the 3 components which make up the mucosa
From innermost to outermost:
Epithelium
Lamina propria
Muscularis mucosae
List the 2 components which make up the muscularis
From innermost to outermost:
Circular muscle
Longitudinal muscle
List the 2 components which make up the serosa
From innermost to outermost:
Areolar connective tissue
Epithelium
State the nerve responsible for parasympathetic innervation of the ascending and transverse colon.
Vagus nerve
State the nerve responsible for parasympathetic innervation of the distal portions of the colon (e.g descending, sigmoid)
Pelvic nerves
State vertebral regions of the spinal cord responsible for supplying sympathetic innervation of lower GI tract
Lower thoracic
Upper lumbar
External anal sphincter is supplied by which nerves and fibres?
Somatic motor fibres supplied by pudendal nerves
State what afferent sensory nerves of the lower GI tract are responsible for detecting.
Detects pressure
State the name of the plexus which innervates the submucosa of the GI tract
Meissner’s plexus
Define Hirchsprung’s Disease and its cause
Disorder of the lower GI tract in which there is difficulty in passing stool
Caused by lack of enteric intramural ganglia in most ditsal portions of the colon
State the region where myenteric ganglia is located
Taenia coli (The longitudinal ribbons of smooth muscle lining the colon)
State the 5 main types of lower GI tract disorders
Inflammatory
Infective
Structural
Functional
Neoplastic
Give 2 examples of inflammatory lower GI tract disorders
Inflammatory bowel disease
Microscopic colitis
Give 2 examples of infective lower GI tract disorders
E coli
C diff (Clostridium difficile)
Give 3 examples of structural lower GI tract disorders
Fissure
Haemorrhoids
Diverticular disease
Give an example of a functional lower GI tract disorders
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Give 2 examples of neoplastic lower GI tract disorders
Colon cancer
Colonic polyps
List 3 other causes for lower GI tract disorders besides those of the main divisions
Vascular causes
Metabolic causes
Neurological causes
State the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in america and europe.
- 5 million americans
- 2 mil europeans
Which demographic of indiviudals are most affected by inflammatory bowel disease?
Young adults
List some socioeconomic complications for individuals suffering from IBS
- Burden of therapy for patients
- Hospitalisation
- Surgery
- Health-related quality of life
- Economic productivity
- Social functioning
State the 2 main conditions which fall under the umbrella term of inflammatory bowel disease
Crohn’s Disease
Ulcerative colitis
Define ulcerative colitis
A lower GI tract inflammatory disorder characterised by inflammation of the colonic mucosa
Define Crohn’s disease
An inflammatory disorder of the GI tract characterised by presentation of chronic transmural granulomatous inflammation
State 4 main ways Crohn’s disease differs to ulceratve colitis.
1) Can affect any part of the GI tract whereas in UC it is limitted to the colonic mucosa (hence superficial)
2) Crohn’s presents with granulomas whereas UC doesnt
3) Crohn’s affects more females versus males (5:1). UC affects both equally
4) UC extends in a continuous manner wheres in Crohn’s can affect different areas in a non continous way
Ulcerative Colitis always involves which part of the lower GI tracts?
Rectum
Describe the way inflammation presents itself in Crohn’s Disease
Patchy chronic transmural granulomatous inflammation
List the 5 main types of ulcerative colitis from least continous to most continuous and state the areas affected
Proctitis (Rectum)
Proctosigmoiditis (Rectum + sigmoid colon)
Distal colitits (rectum–>descending colon)
Extensive colitis (rectum –> transverse colon)
Pancolitis (Entirety of the colon)
List the 6 main types of Crohn’s Disease and state the areas affected.
Gastroduodenal Crohn’s Disease (Duoedenum [opening of SI])
Ileocolitis (Ileum [Distal portion of SI] and the LI)
Ileitis (Ileum)
Jejunoileitis (Jejunum [mid portion of SI])
Crohn’s colitis (Colon)
Perianal Crohn’s (Rectum and anus)
What is the most common type of Crohn’s Disease?
Ileocolitis
Inflammatory bowel disease has a variety of symptoms depending on which areas are affected. List 4 potential symptoms that may arise with individuals with colitis
Bleeding
Diarrhoea
Urgency to empty bowels
Mucus in stool/diarrhea
. List 3 potential symptoms that may arise in individuals with perianal inflammation in IBS
Anal pain
Difficulty passing stool
Leakage
. List 5 potential symptoms that may arise in individuals with small bowel disease
Abdominal pain
Abdominal mass
Weight loss
Fatigue/Lethargy
Diarrhoea
List 4 regions which may display extra-intestinal manifestaions of IBD
Arthritic regions
Skin
Eyes
Liver