Dorothy FarrarDigestive organs
The digestive organs form the digestive tract and serve to break down food, absorb nutrients and pass on the chyme. In their entirety, the digestive organs are also referred to as the digestive apparatus or digestive system .
Definition
The digestive organs include the oral cavity , pharynx , esophagus , stomach , intestines , liver , and pancreas . The stomach and intestines form their own system, the gastrointestinal tract. This is also called the gastrointestinal tract.
Each of the digestive organs has different tasks in the digestive process. Some of the organs serve to absorb food, others break down the ingested food. While some of the organs are only used for transport, other digestive organs take on a variety of tasks such as the breakdown and absorption of the individual food components.
Anatomy
The digestive tract begins with the oral cavity (cavum oris). Parts of the oral cavity are the lips , hard palate, soft palate, tongue , and teeth . The oral cavity is connected to the esophagus via the pharynx. This is about 25 centimeters long, starts at the level of the larynx and leads down through the rib cage until it finally opens into the stomach.
The stomach is also referred to as the gaster or ventriculus in medical jargon. It is a hollow organ with a capacity of about 1.5 liters. The stomach is connected to the small intestine via the so-called pylorus , the pylorus. The small intestine consists of three parts: the duodenum , the jejunum, and the ileum .
At just 24 centimeters long, the duodenum is the shortest part of the small intestine. The end of the small intestine merges into the large intestine (colon). The large intestine is divided into the appendix , ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon and rectum. The end of the digestive tract is the anus .
The digestive organs also include the pancreas and liver. The pancreas consists of a head, body and tail and is located across the upper abdomen between the stomach and duodenum.
The liver (hepar) is the largest digestive gland and is located in the right upper abdomen, just below the diaphragm. On the underside of the liver, in the pit of the gallbladder, lies the gallbladder .
Function
The task of the digestive organs is to absorb, crush and break down food. In addition, the individual food components are absorbed by the digestive organs and fed into the body’s circulation.
Digestion begins in the mouth with the breaking down of food through the teeth. The saliva in the oral cavity already contains digestive enzymes, so carbohydrate digestion starts here. Crushed food enters the stomach through the esophagus. Here the food is converted into food pulp (chyme) and enriched with gastric juice. Gastric juice contains enzymes that can break down proteins. The chyme then enters the small intestine. The bile duct and pancreatic duct empty into the duodenum.
Bile is produced in the liver and is used to digest fat. The pancreatic juice with the enzymes trypsinogen, chymotripsinogen, proelastase, amylase and lipase plays an important role in the breakdown of proteins , starch and fats . The proteins that have now been broken down are resorbed in the jejunum. Fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and water are also absorbed through the mucous membrane of the jejunum.
Water and electrolytes are reabsorbed in the large intestine. It also serves as a storage place for feces and releases the bowel movement at intervals. The feces are then finally excreted through the anus.
Diseases
- Pancreatic carcinoma
Each digestive organ has its own clinical picture. The main symptoms of diseases of the digestive organs are abdominal pain , nausea , vomiting , flatulence , diarrhea , constipation or weight loss .
Inflammation of the esophagus is often caused by reflux of acidic stomach contents. Typical symptoms are then heartburn and acid regurgitation .
If the gastric mucosa is inflamed, it is called gastritis. Gastritis can be acute or chronic and is accompanied by stomach pain and a feeling of pressure in the stomach area.
Intestinal complaints are often caused by pathogens such as bacteria or viruses . The consequences are diarrheal diseases. Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease can also cause digestive problems.
Of course, digestive organs can also degenerate. Colon cancer is the second most common cancer in Germany. Around 65,000 people are newly diagnosed with it every year.
One of the most serious cancers is pancreatic head carcinoma. It is usually only discovered quite late. The 5-year survival rate is only four percent. Carcinoma of the head of the pancreas preferentially metastasizes to the liver.
Since the liver is the human body’s detoxification organ and is therefore well supplied with blood, it is particularly frequently affected by metastases. Inflammation of the liver is called hepatitis. Chronic forms of hepatitis can result in liver cirrhosis.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.