Digestive System•Breaks down food•Absorption and reabsorption of water and other nutrients•Eliminates waste

Digestive System• GI tract: “tube”

from mouth to anus• Esophagus• Stomach• Small Intestine• Large Intestine• Rectum• Anus

• Accessory digestive organs• Teeth• Tongue• Salivary glands• Liver• Gallbladder• Pancreas

Digestive System• Esophagus: passageway for food into the stomach• Stomach: saclike structure; chemical and

mechanical digestion• Small Intestine: completes digestion; absorption of

nutrients into body*• Large Intestine: absorption of water and minerals;

eliminate indigestible material• Rectum: part of large intestine; last part of GI tract• Anus: terminates GI tract; passage of stool• Teeth: mechanical breakdown of food• Tongue: food manipulation, taste, swallowing

Digestive System• Salivary Glands: production of enzymes to begin

breakdown of food• Liver: production of bile; removal of glucose

(sugar) from blood; vitamin storage; destruction/transformation of toxic products; maintenance of blood glucose levels; destruction of erythrocytes and release of bilirubin; production of blood proteins that aid in clotting of blood

• Gallbladder: storage of bile• Pancreas: provides digestive juices; functions

outside of digestive system as well

Common Disorders• Ulcers: open lesion of mucosa in GI tract; most

common in stomach or duodenum; treated with antibiotics and antacids

• Ulcerative Colitis: inflammation of colon with formation of ulcers in lining of intestine; characterized by frequent, watery stools

• Hernia: protrusion of organ through wall of cavity in which it is contained; most common in GI tract and may develop in the diaphragm or through the opening where the esophagus passes through the diaphragm; in the groin, at the umbilicus

Common Disorders• Bowel Obstruction: many causes including the bowel twisting in on

itself, “telescoping” (intussusception) of intestine• Hemorrhoids: caused by enlargement of veins in the mucous

membrane of anal canal; can be internal or external; result of pressure on the veins from either straining to pass stool, pushing during childbirth or a tumor large enough to produce pressure

• Liver Disorders: hepatitis: viral, alcoholic, idiopathic; cirrhossis; often seen with overuse of alcohol; jaundice is a common sign; generally not curable

• Diverticulosis/itis: small pockets develop on walls of large intestine and usually do not cause problems; if they become infected and/or inflamed, the condition is referred to as diverticulitis; treatment ranges from antibiotic regimen to partial colectomy to partial colectomy with placement of colostomy