The Large Intestine to the Anus

Created by: Kristen Benish, Anastacia Arabie, Gloria Lopez And Victoria Herbin

Dr. GlothfeltyA&P 1 AM Class

Large Intestine and what it is.

By Victoria HerbinWiki.answersw.com

Large Intestine

The shape and place:The colon is shaped like an U. The colon (large intestine) is housed within the abdominal cavity. It starts in the lower right quarter of the abdominal cavity, it is in the waist area. The colon runs along the right side of the body. It reaches just below the liver.

The Part of the colon

The function and purpose: The colon is also called the large intestine is a 6ft muscular tube. This tube is connected to the small intestine. There are four main parts. They are: cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and the sigmoid colon which is all connected to the rectum.

The large intestine is responsible for processing waste so that emptying the bowels. Waste that is left over from digestive process it passes through the colon by peristalsis. First it is in a liquid state and then ultimately it comes to a solid form. The stool passes through the colon, and then the water is removed. Then the stool is stored in the sigmoid colon until it becomes a mass movement. It then empties into the rectum once or twice a day. When the descending colon is full with stool or feces it then empties all of its contents in to the rectum. That is where the process of elimination can begin.

The Function Of The Colon (Large Intestine)

• The Large Intestine is the second to last part of the digestive system, the final stage of the alimentary canal is the anus. The function is to absorb water from the remaining indigestible food matter, and then to pass useless waste material from the body. The Large Intestine takes 32 hours to finish up the remaining process of the digestive system. Food is not broken down any further in this stage of digestion.

What the Large

Intestine Does

By: Anastacia Arabie

www.news-medical.net

Large Intestine• The Large Intestine is simply

there to absorb vitamins that are created by the bacteria inhabiting the colon. It also absorbs water and compacts feces, and stores fecal matter in the rectum. The Large Intestine is wider than the small intestine, and the longitudinal layer of the muscularis is a 3 strap like structures known as the taeniae coli, each are about 5mm wide. The wall of the Colon is lined with simple columnar epithelium.

Large Intestine Bacterial Flora

• . The Colon houses over 700 species of bacteria that perform a variety of functions. Undigested polysaccharides (fiber) are metabolized to short-chain fatty acids by bacteria in the large intestine and absorbed by passive diffusion. The bicarbonate the large intestine secretes helps to neutralize the increased acidity resulting from the formation of these fatty acids.

• These bacteria also produce large amounts of vitamins, especially vitamin K and Biotin (a B vitamin), for absorption into the blood. Although this source of vitamins generally provides only a small part of the daily requirement, it makes a significant contribution when dietary vitamin intake is low. The most prevalent bacteria are the bacteroides, which have been implicated in the initiation of colitis and colon cancer. Bifidobacteria are also abundant, and are often described as 'friendly bacteria'.

Large Intestine Parts and Location:

• Parts of the large intestine are:

• Cecum – the first part of the large intestine

• Taeniae coli – three bands of smooth muscle

• Haustra – bulges caused by contraction of taeniae coli

• Epiploic appendages – small fat accumulations on the viscera

• Locations along the colon are:

• The ascending colon • The right colic flexure

(hepatic) • The transverse colon • The transverse mesocolon • The left colic flexure

(splenic) • The descending colon • The sigmoid colon – the v-

shaped region of the large intestine

 

The rectum is a straight chamber that is 8-inches long that connects to the colon to the anus. The job of the rectum is to receive stool from the colon to let the person know that there is a stool to be evacuated. When anything such as gas or stool comes into the rectum it sends a message to the brain, then decides if the rectal contents can be released the sphincters relax and the rectum then contracts, disposing its feces. The spinal cord regulates the nerve impulses that initiate the reflexive contractions of the rectum that result in bowel movements.

The RectumBy: Kristen Benishhttp://www.cchs.net/health/health-info/docs/1600/1699.asp?index=7041

The RectumThe walls of the rectum is smooth and flexible allowing it to expand to accommodate collected fecal materials. The rectum is also a frequent site of vulnerable cancer. The rectum is a muscular ring that is at the end of the large intestine. The rectum also acts as a temporary storage site for fecal matter before it is eliminated from the body. The food we eat is then broken down and nutrients are absorbed in the stomach. Fecal matter is made up of digestive juices, bacteria, and fiber continues to move into the rectum. The rectum holds the feces until you push it out of your body.

• The anus controls the expulsion of the feces. The flow of feces through the anus is controlled by the anal sphincter muscle. The internal and external sphincter muscle relax, allowing the feces to be passed by muscles and pulling the anus up over the exiting feces.

The AnusBy: Gloria Lopezwww.webmd.com

Anal Fissure• Feces is temporarily

stored in the rectum and expelled from the body via the anus. An anal fissure is a tear or split in the lining of the anus {anal mucosa}. The symptoms and signs include pain when passing a bowel motion and bright red blood from the anus.

• The problem is common in children younger than one year, and affects around eight out of ten babies. A person’s susceptibility to anal fissures tend to decline with age. Common causes in adults include constipation and trauma to the anus {such as difficult childbirth}.

• Around half of cases heal by themselves with proper self-care and avoidance of constipation. However healing can be a problem if the pressure of passing bowel motion constantly reopens the fissure. Treatment options include surgery.

Signs and Symptoms of Anal Fissure

• Anal pain• Pain when passing a motion and for some time

afterward• Bright red blood from the anus• Blood on the surface of the stool• Blood smears on the toilet paper