Small Intestinal Disorders and Investigations Flashcards
What are the functions of the small intestine?
- Digestion
- Absorption
- Endocrine and neuronal control functions
- Barrier functions
Digestion
The breaking of food into its components
Absorption
The passage of nutrients into the body
Endocrine and neuronal control functions
Controlling the flow of material from the stomach to the colon
Barrier functions
- Regulating what stays in and gets out
- Maintaining a barrier against pathogens
How does the small intestine maintain a barrier against pathogens?
- Immune sampling
- Monitoring the presence of pathogens
- Translocation of bacteria
- Gut associated lymphoid tissue GALT
What is the average length of the small intestine by age 11?
250-450cm
How is a large surface area of the small intestine maintained?
- Villous architecture
- Constant turnover of cells in crypts and villi
Why is there a low bacterial population in the small intestine?
Toxic environment
- Digestive enzymes
- Bile salts
- Presence of IgA
How is control of digestion maintained?
- Decontamination of dirty food
- Requires a lot of fluid
- Controlled by hydrolysis to avoid fluid shifts
- Sophisticated control of motility
- Absorption against gradients
- Onward processing in the liver
What does the commencement of digestion in the stomach involve?
- Salivary amylase
- Pepsin
- Controlled breakdown to avoid osmotic shifts
Describe the basic digestion of proteins.
- Breakdown to ogliopeptides and amino acids
- Trypsin
- Final hydrolysis and absorption at brush border
Describe the basic digestion of fat.
- Pancreatic lipase
- Absorption of glycerol and free fatty acids via lacteal and lymphatic system
Describe the basic digestion of carbohydrates.
- Pancreatic amylase
- Breakdown to disaccharides
- Final digestion by brush border disaccharides
Symptoms of malabsorption
- Weight loss
- Increased appetite
- Bloating
- Fatigue
- Diarrhoea
- Steatorrhoea
Steatorrhoea
- Stool that is pale, foul smelling and high in fat content
- Due to fat malabsorption
- Stool less dense and floats
- May leave an oily mark
Signs of malabsorption
- Signs of weight loss
- Low or falling BMI
Signs of iron deficiency
- Anaemia
- Sore tongue
Signs of Ca, Mg and vitamin D deficiency
- Tetany
- Osteomalacia
Signs of vitamin A deficiency
Night blindness
Signs of vitamin K deficiency
Raised PTR
Signs of vitamin C deficiency
Scurvy