Chap 6 Terms | Chap 6 Definitions |
anorexia | lack or loss of appetite, resulting in the inability to eat |
appendicitis | inflammation of the appendix, usually due to obstruction or infection |
ascites | accumulation of serous fluid in the abdomen |
borborygmus | rumbuling or gurgling noises that are audible at a distance and caused by passage of gas through the liquid contents of the intestines |
cachexia | general lack of nutrition and wasting occuring in the course of a chronic disease or emotional disturbance |
cholelithiasis | presence or formation of gallstones in the galbladder or common bile duct |
Crohn disease, regional enteritis | chronic inflammation, usually of the ilieum, but possibly affecting any portion of the intestinal tract |
cirrhosis | chronic, irreversible, degenerative disease of the liver |
colic | spasam in any hollow or tubular soft organ accompanied by pain, especially in the colon |
deglutition | act of swallowing |
dysentery | inflammation of the intestine, especially the colon, possibly caused by ingesting water or food containing chemical irritants, bacteria, protozoa, or parasites, that results in bloody diarrhea |
dyspepsia | epigastric discomfort felt after eating: also called indigestion |
dysphagia | inability or difficulty in swallowing: also called aphagia |
eructation | producing gas from the stomach, usually with a characteristic sound; also called belching |
fecalith | fecal concretion |
flatus | gas in the GI tract; expelling of air from a body orifice, especially the anus |
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) | backflow of gastric contents into the esophagus due to a malfunction of the sphincter muscle at the inferior portion of the esophagus |
halitosis | offensive or "bad" breath |
hematemesis | vomiting of blood |
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) | symptom complex marked by abdominal pain and altered bowel function (typically constipation, diarrhea, or alternating constipation and diarrhea) for which no organic cause can be determined; also called spastic colon |
obstipation | intestinal obstruction; also called severe constipation |
malabsorption syndrome | symptom complex of the small intestine characterized by the impaired passage of nutrients, minerals, or fluids through intestinal villi into the blood or lymph |
melena | passage of dark-colored, tarry stools, due to the presence of blood altered by intestinal juices |
oral leukoplakia | formation of white spots or patches on the mucous membrane of the tongue, lips, or cheek caused primarily by irritation |
peristalsis | progressive, wavelike movement that occurs involuntarily in hollow tubes of the body, especially the GI tract |
pyloric stenosis | stricture or narrowing of the pyloric orifice, possibly due to excessive thickening of the pyloric sphincter (circular muscle of the pylorus) |
regurgitation | backward flowing, as in the return of solids or fluids to the mouth from the stomach or the backward flow of blood through a defective heart valve |
steatorrhea | passage of fat in large amounts in the feces due to failure to digest |
endoscopy | visual examination of a cavity or canal using a specialized lighted instrument called an endoscope |
upper GI | endoscopy of the esophagus (esophagoscopy), stomach (gastroscopy), and duodenum (duodenoscopy) |
lower GI | endoscopy of the colon (colonoscopy), sigmoid colon (sigmoidoscopy), and rectum and anal canal (proctoscopy) |
hepatitis panel | panel of blood test that can identify the specific virus - hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), or hepatitis C (HCV) causing hepatitis by testing serum using antibodies to each of these antigens |
liver function test | tests involing measurment of the levels of certain enzymes, bbilirubin, and various proteins |
serum bilirubin | measurement of the level of bilirubin in the blood |
stool culture | microbiological procedure in which microorganisms in feces are grown on media or nutrient material to identify specific pathogens |
stool guaiac | applying a substance called guaiac to a stool sample to detect the presence of blood in the feces; also called Hemocult (trade name of a modified guaiac test) |
barium enema | radiographic examination of the rectum and colon following enema administration of barium sulfate (contrast medium) into the rectum; also called lower GI series |
barium swallow | radiographic examination of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine following oral administration of barium sulfate (contrast medium); also called esophagram and upper GI series |
cholecystography | radiographic images taken of the gallbladder after administration of a contrast material containing iodine, usually in the form of a tablet |
computed tomography (CT) scan | imaging technique achieved by rotatining an x-ray emiotter around the area to be scanned and measuring the intensity of transmitted rays from different angles; formerly called |
endoscopic retograde cholangiopancreatography | endoscopic procedure that provides radiographic visualization of the bile and pancreatic ducts |
percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography | radiographic examination of the structure of the bile ducts |
sialography | radiography examination of the salivary glands and ducts |
ultrasonography (US) | image produced by using high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) and displaying the reflected "echoes" on a monitor (A computer analyzes the reflected echoes and converts them into an image on a video monitor); also called ultrasound, sonography, echo, and |
abdominal | ultrasound visualization of the abdominal arota, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, pancreas, kidneys, ureters, and bladder |
biopsy | representative tissue sample removed from a body site for microscopic examination, usually to establish a diagnosis |
nasogastric intubation | insertion of a nasogastric tube through the nose into the stomach to relieve gastric distention by removing gas, gastric secretions, or food; to instill medication, food, or fluids; or to obtain a specimen for laboratory analysis |
anastomosis | surgical joining of two ducts, vessels, or bowe segments to allow flow from one to another |
ileorectal anastomosis | surgical connection of the oleum and rectum after total colectomy, as is sometimes performed in the treatment of ulcerative colitis |
intestinal anastomosis | surgical connection of two portions of the intestines; also called enteroenterostomy |
colostomy | creation of an opening of some portion of the colon thropugh the abdominal wall to its outside surface in order to divert fecal flow to a colostomy bag |
lithotripsy | procedure for eliminating a stone within the urinary system or gallbladder by crushing the stone surgically or using a noninvasive method, such as ultrasonic shock waves, to shatter it |
extracorporeal shockwave | use of shock waves as a noninvasive method to break up stones in the gallbladder or biliary ducts |
liver biopsy | use of a large-bore needle to remove a core of liver tissue for histological examination |
polypectomy | excision of a polyp |
pyloromyotomy | incision of the longitudinal and circular muscles of the pylous; used to treat hypertrophic pyloric stenosis |