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Unit 15
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Absorption | the transfer of nutrients from the intestines to the cells |
| Anatomy | the study of body structure |
| Biology | the study of all life forms |
| Body systems | groups of organs that perform specific functions in the human body |
| Bowel elimination | the physical process of releasing or emptying the colon or large intestine of solid waste, called stool or feces |
| Cells | the basic structural units of all organisms |
| Chyme | semiliquid substance made as a result of the chemical breakdown of food in the stomach |
| Colon | the large intestine |
| Colostomy | surgically created opening through the abdominal wall into the large intestine to allow feces to be expelled |
| Constipation | the inability to eliminate stool, or the infrequent, difficult, and often painful elimination of hard, dry stool |
| Crohn’s disease | a disease that causes the lining of the digestive tract to become inflamed (red, sore, or swollen) |
| Defecation | the process of eliminating from the rectum through the anus |
| Diarrhea | frequent elimination of liquid or semiliquid feces |
| Digestion | the process of converting food so that it can be absorbed into the blood and be used by body tissues |
| Diverticulitis | inflammation in the sacs that develop in the wall of the large intestine due to diverticulosis |
| Diverticulosis | a disorder in which sac-like pouchings develop in the weakened areas of the wall of the large intestine (colon) |
| Duodenum | the first part of the small intestine, where the common bile duct enters the small intestine |
| Electrolytes | chemical substances that are essential to maintaining fluid balance and homeostasis in the body |
| Elimination | the process of expelling wastes |
| Enema | a specific amount of water or other fluid, with or without an additive, introduced into the colon to stimulate the elimination of stool |
| Fecal impaction | a mass of hard, dry stool that remains packed in the rectum and cannot be expelled |
| Fecal incontinence | an inability to control the muscles of the bowels, which leads to an involuntary passage of stool or gas |
| Feces | solid body waste excreted through the anus from the large intestine; also called stool |
| Flatulence | air in the intestine that is passed through the rectum; also called gas or flatus |
| Fracture pan | a bed pan that is flatter than a regular bed pan; used for small or thin people or those who cannot lift their buttocks onto a standard bed pan |
| Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) | a chronic condition in which the liquid contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus |
| Gastrointestinal tract | a continuous tube from the opening of the mouth all the way to the anus, where solid wastes are eliminated from the body |
| Heartburn | a condition that results from a weakening of the sphincter muscle that joins the esophagus and the stomach; also known as acid reflex |
| Hemorrhoids | enlarged veins in the rectum that cause itching, burning, pain, and bleeding |
| Homeostasis | the condition in which all of the body’s systems are balanced and are working their best |
| Ileostomy | surgically created opening into the end of the small intestine, the ileum, to allow feces to be expelled |
| Ingestion | the process of taking in fluids or foods into the body |
| Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) | a chronic condition of the large intestine that is worsened by stress |
| Jaundice | a condition in which the skin, whites of the eyes, and mucous membranes appear yellow |
| Malabsorption | a condition in which the body cannot absorb or digest a particular nutrient properly |
| Occult | hidden |
| Organ | a structural unit in the human body that performs a specific function |
| Ostomy | surgical creation of an opening from an area inside the body to the outside |
| Pathophysiology | the study of the disorders that occur in the body |
| Peristalsis | muscular contractions that push food through the gastrointestinal tract |
| Physiology | the study of how the body parts function |
| Portable commode | a chair with a toilet seat and a removable container underneath that is used for elimination; also called a bedside commode |
| Rectal suppository | a medication in a cylindrical shape that is given rectally to cause a bowel movement |
| Specimen | a sample, such as tissue, blood, urine, stool, or sputum, used for analysis or diagnosis |
| Stoma | an artificial opening in the body |
| Stool | solid body waste excreted through the anus from the large intestine; also called feces |
| Tissues | a group of cells that performs similar tasks |
| Ulcerative colitis | a chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine |
| Urostomy | surgical creation of an opening for the passage of urine |