University:
Western Sydney University
Course:
MEDI 2003 | Clinical Sciences 2
Academic year:

2024
Views:

176

Pages:

3
Author:

Mariam A. A.

Large intestine ● Moves across all 4 quadrants ● Largely in the lower parts ● Takes up these regions before it disappears in the hypogastric region ● Large part of the lower GI tract ● Functions ○ Reabsorption of water ○ Compacting waste to be excreted 3 major segments ● Cecum - Blind ended pouch in the lower right quadrant of the abdominal cavity - Appendix is attached to the bind ended pouch and is like a worm like structure at the end ● Colon - Most of the large intestine - Colon will empty into the rectum for elimination through the anal canal - Name = direction of flow of the compacted food - Ascending, transverse, descending, sigmoid - Flexures (right and left colic or hepatic (R) and splenic (L)) - Haustra (pouches) - Taenia coli (smooth muscle band in the middle of the large intestine) - Epiploic appendages (fatty appendages) ● Rectum ● ● Sigmoid brings it back to the middle of the body into hypogastric region Connect with the rectum and renal canal to get rid of the compacted waste from the body Distinguishing features of the large intestine ● Can see a band of the taenia coli ● Shiny in appearance ● Arrangement of fibres are in a longitudinal direction ● ● ● ● ● ● Bands of longitudinal muscle running along the outside of the colon that contract to produce budges Condense or compact the haustra to move it along Contracts (involuntary because its smooth muscle) and it either contracts or relaxes and pinches the regions of the colon to create pouches Pouches are called haustra Pushes food along the colon to the next direction Pouching of the haustrum Flexure ● Reducing the angle ● Right angles on both sides ● Hepatic flexure/right colic flexure (liver sits on top of the flexure) ● Splenic flexure/left colic flexure (spleen sits on top of the flexure) Fatty appendages (yellow balloons) extending from the taeniae coli ● Also called epiploic appendages ● Can get inflamed ● Can be used to distinguish between the large intestine ● ● Mesentery of the small intestine that goes back to the abdominal wall Mesentery of the large intestine is called mesocolon