Week 1 Flashcards
At what vertebral level does the oesophagus begin?
C6
At what vertebral level does the oesophagus enter the stomach?
T7
Describe the muscular composition of the oesophagus.
The superior third is composed of skeletal muscle, the middle third a combination of skeletal and smooth, and the inferior third is composed of smooth muscle.
What is the term used to describe a sphincter which is functional, but not anatomically visible?
Physiological
How many sphincters are there in the oesophagus, and what are they called?
- Lower oesophageal sphincter, and upper oesophageal sphincter
What are the three regions of the oesophagus?
Cervical, thoracic and abdominal.
What are the four histological layers of the oesophagus?
Mucosa, sub-mucosa, muscularis externa and adventitia
What type of epithelium is present in the oesophagus?
Stratified squamous (non keratinised) epithelium
What two muscle types are present in the muscularis externa?
Inner circular layer, and outer longitudinal
What are the 5 mechanisms that normally protect the oesophagus from gastro-oesophageal reflux disease?
Intrinsic sphincter, extrinsic sphincter, intra-abdominal oesophagus, flap valve and secondary peristalsis
What is the term used to describe a rapidly diminishing response to a drug, especially after long term use?
Tachyphylaxis
Where is the major site of bile salt reabsorption?
Ileum
What is the primary role of secretin?
Stimulates the secretion of bicarbonate in the duodenum (promotion of alkanisation of small intestinal contents)
What is the major cause of peptic ulcer disease in the duodenum and distal stomach?
Helicobacter pylori infection
What can the suppression of gastric acid secretion increase susceptibility to?
Enteric infection
How much acid production is reduced by PPIs?
90%
What its the condition in which oesophageal epithelium changes from stratified squamous to columnar known as?
Barrett’s oesophagus
In Barrett’s oesophagus, what type of epithelium does the stratified squamous epithelium change to?
Columnar
What can Barrett’s oesophagus develop into?
Oesophageal cancer
How is the gastrointestinal tract organised?
Mucosa (split into epithelium, lamina propria, muscular mucosa), submucosa (messier’s (submucosal) plexus), muscular propria (circular muscle, myenteric plexus, longitudinal muscle) and serosa or adventitia
What does circular smooth muscle cause?
Constriction of the gut
What does longitudinal smooth muscle cause?
Shortening of gut
What does the mouth contain?
3 salivary glands (parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands), producing 0.5L of saliva per day, controlled by cranial nerves VII and IX
What does the mouth secrete?
Mucus, amylase, bicarbonate, thiocyanate and lysosyme
What is the function of mouth secretions?
Mucus for lubrication, amylase to digest starch, bicarbonate to neutralise acid and thiocyanate and lysosyme to act as bactericidal agents
What are dental caries and what can they lead to?
Tooth decay which can lead to root infection
What is the purpose of swallowing?
Reduces particle size within the food bolus, mixes food with saliva (lubrication + enzymes) and increases surface area
Is swallowing voluntary or involuntary?
Once started it becomes involuntary. Swallowing centre is within reticular formation of brainstem
How many sphincters does the oesophagus have?
Two: upper and lower oesophageal sphincter
What are the two muscular layers of the oesophagus?
Circular and longitudinal
What is the function of the lower oesophageal sphincter?
Prevents contents of the stomach refluxing into the the oesophagus
What is the innervation of the oesophagus?
Innervation by both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves (myenteric plexus)
What does parasympathetic innervation of the oesophagus regulate?
Peristalsis via the vagus nerve
What is the arterial supply of the upper oesophagus?
Superior and inferior thyroid arteries
What is the arterial supply of the middle oesophagus?
Branches of the bronchial, intercostal and descending aorta arteries
What is the arterial supply of the lower oesophagus?
Branches of the left gastric, left inferior phrenic and splenic arteries
What reduces the chance of infarction of the oesophagus?
Dense anastomoses within the submucosa
What is the venous drainage of the oesophagus?
IVC, azygous vein, hemiazygous vein, left gastric vein (to portal vein), and short gastric vein (to spleen to splenic vein to portal vein)
What are the functions of the stomach?
Primarily as a reservoir to store large quantities of ingested food, initiates digestive process, acid secretion, releases contents in controlled fashion into the duodenum
What are the main anatomical regions of the stomach?
Cardia, body, fundus, pyloric antrum, canal and sphincter
What is the function of gastric acid?
Converts inactive pepsinogen to the active enzyme pepsin, also kills a large number of bacteria that enter the stomach
What are the secretions of the stomach?
Hydrogen ions (by parietal cells), pepsin (precursor pepsinogen produced by chief cells), intrinsic factor (parietal), mucus and water
What stimulates acid secretion in the stomach?
Histamine (produced by ECL cells near parietal cells), gastrin (acts on the cholecystokinin-2 receptor), acetylcholine (neurotransmitter of vagus nerve (parasympathetic) at muscarinic receptor)
What stops acid secretion?
1 hour post-ingestion secretion is at its peak, then food starts moving through the duodenum. There is less volume in the stomach, and pH is at its lowest. Gastrin is inhibited at lower pH (<3), and low pH also stimulates somatostatin, a broadly inhibitory hormone. Duodenal enterogastrones, are also released (GIP, secretin, CCK).
What are the phases of gastric secretion?
- Cephalic (sight/smell/taste food)
- Gastric Phase (food in stomach-duodenum)
- Intestinal
Describe the cephalic phase:
Sight/smell/taste of food —> vagus nerve activates parietal and gastrin cells —> moderate stimulation of HCl/pepsinogen