Term | Definition |
adenoma | benign tumor arising from glandular epithelium |
anaplastic | tumor tissue containing primitive undifferentiated cells unlike the structurally differentiated cells of normal tissue |
anorexia | loss of appetite |
belching | burping |
borborygmi | audible rumbling and gurgling sounds in the digestive tract |
colic | sharp crampy pains |
colon | part of the large intestine |
constipation | firm difficult stools |
diarrhea | abnormal frequency urgency and looseness of stools |
diverticulum | abnormal outpoutching of the colon |
dysphagia | difficulty swallowing |
endorectal | inside the rectum said of diagnostic or therapeutic instruments or procedures |
enterocolitis | inflammatory disease of both the small and large intestine |
eructation | belching burping |
flatulence | excessive intestinal gas |
heartburn | burning pain in the epigastrium or chest due to digestive disorders. |
hematemesis | vomiting blood |
hematochezia | passage of blood from the rectum |
hemorrhoid | anal varicose veins |
hepatic | referring to the liver |
hyperplasia | increase in the number of cells in tissue or organ |
ileus | intestinal obstruction |
intussussception | prolapse of one part of the intestine into another |
jaundice | discoloration of skin and sclerae by excessive bile pigment |
lientery | passage of undigested food in stools |
melena | black stools (often due to blood in stool) |
obstipation | total inability to pass stool |
odynophagia | pain on swallowing |
palliative | directed to the relief of symptoms rather than the elimination of their cause |
postprandial | following a meal |
rebound tenderness | additional stab of pain when pressure on abdomen is released often indicating peritoneal irritation |
splenomegaly | enlargement of the spleen |
steatorrhea | excessive amount of fat in the feces |
tenesmus | straining of stool usually without result and often painful |
transrectal | diagnostic or surgical procedure that is performed through the rectum |
volvulus | intestinal obstruction due to twisting or obstruction of the bowel |
flatus | fart pass gas |
flatulence | gas in stomach |
mastication | chewing |
cholelithiasis | gallstones |
piles | hemorrhoids |
heartburn | gastroesophageal reflux |
belching | eructation |
emesis | vomiting |
anastomosis | surgical joining to two organs or vessels |
appendectomy | surgical excision of the vermiform appendix |
barium enema | an xray that uses barium given rectally to outline the colon and rectum |
choleecystectomy | removal of the gallbladder |
colectomy | excision of part or all of colon |
colonoscopy | procedure used to view the colon using a scope |
colostomy | surgical created opening from the colon, through which feces is passed may be temp, or perm. |
endoscopy | insertion of tube with a light source into body cavity to view stuctures |
EGD | esophagogastroduodenoscopy endoscopic procedure to view esophagus, stomach, and duodenum |
exploratory laparotomy | inspection of the abdominal and pelvic cavities |
gastrectomy | excision of a portion or all of the stomach |
gastroscopy | endoscopic procedure to view the stomach |
hemicolectomy | surgical excision of approximately half the colon |
herorrhoidectomy | surgical excision of hemorrhoids |
herniorrhaphy | surgical repair of a hernia |
imaging studies | ultrasound studies, to access gallbladder masses |
KUB x-ray | plain x-ray to image the kidneys, bladder, and ureters |
laparoscopy | inspection of abdominal cavity through an endoscope |
portacaval shunt | surgical procedure allowing portal vein blood to bypass the liver and empty directly into the inferior vena cava |
pyloroplasty | incision of the pylorus and reconstruction of the pyloric channel to relieve pyloric obstruction |
resection | surgical removal |
splenectomy | surgical removal of the spleen |
upper GI series with small-bowel follow-through | an x-ray series that uses barium taken orally to outline the esophagus, stomach and small intestine |
vagotomy | interruption of the impulses carried by the vagus nerve |
absorption tests | based on determination of blood or stool levels |
alkaline phosphatase | enzyme whose level in the serum is often increased in bone disease and obstruction liver disease |
ALT | alamine aminotransferease |
ammonia serum | breakdown product of protein metabolism, increased in hepatic failure |
annylase serum | enzyme whose level is increased in pacreatitis and mumps |
AST | asparate aminotransferase |
bilirubin, direct | bilirubin that reacts directly with testing chemicals |
bilirubin, indirect | bilirubin that does not directly react with testing Delete repeated word |
bilirubin, urinary | bilirubin in the Delete repeated word |
bilirubin, conjugated | bilirubin that has been conjugated (broken down) |
bilirubin, unconjugated | bilirubin that has not been conjugated |
CEA | carcinoembryonic Antigen not a reliable diagnostic indicator of colon cancer, but useful in watching recurrence. |
CLO | Campylobacter like organism |
GPT | glutamic pyruvic transaminase |
O & P | Examination of stool for parasite or their ova |
LFT | Liver function tests |
Hemoccult | test for occult blood in the stool |