CONDITIONS TREATED
LOWER GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
This part of the gastrointestinal tract includes appendix, colon, rectum and anal canal.
- Appendix
- Colon and Rectum
- Anal Canal
Appendix
The appendix is a thin blind-ending tube, located at the junction of the large and small intestine. It is about 9 cm in length and 6 mm diameter, located in the lower-right abdomen.The exact function of the appendix remains unknown; but infections and diseases in the appendix cause extreme, unbearable pain and is sometimes proven to be fatal if left untreated. The two most widely treated conditions of the appendix are appendicitis that is an inflammation of the appendix and carcinoid, which is a tumor of the appendix.
Colon and rectum
The colon and the rectum are part of the large intestine. It is a long, tube-like organ in your abdomen that starts near the right hip, moves up to the ribs on the right side, goes across to the left side by the ribs, then down to the left hip, from where it makes an S-curve down to the anus. This last part of the colon is called the rectum. The entire colon is about 5 feet (150 cm) long!In the colon, the inner layer of the mucosa absorbs water and nutrients from the food and drinks we have. After this process, the liquid that remains in the colon forms a semi-solid stool. As this continues to move through the colon, more water is absorbed making it completely solid. From here, the stool leaves the colon and enters into the rectum. The rectum stores the stool until defecation.
Anal canal
The anal canal is a 4 cm (1 and a half inches) long exit path at the most terminal part of the large intestine. It is situated next to the rectum (storage place for stool). There are multiple muscles around the anal canal called the internal sphincter and external sphincter which helps in maintaining continence of stool and flatus. We have control over only external sphincter. When the bowel movements (stools) leave the body both these sphincters relax to allow the waste to pass through. Some of the common conditions that affect the anal canal are hemorrhoids, fissure, fistula in ano and perianal abscess.