In: Anatomy and Physiology
Describe In detail Anatomy of the small and large intestines— how does it change in the 3 parts?
Anatomically the small intestine extends from the pylorus to the
ileocaecal junction. It is about 6 m long and divided into three
parts: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The
proximal fixed part which is about 10 inches (25 cm) long is called
duodenum. The remaining long part which is freely mobile is divided
into two parts—jejunum and ileum.
The duodenum is principally retroperitoneal and fixed. It
receives chyme from the stomach, bile from the gallbladder, and
pancreatic juice from the pancreas. The fixation of duodenum is
essential because mobile duodenum will cause twisting and kinking
of common bile duct (CBD) and pancreatic ducts which open into it.
It is intimately related with pancreas and extra hepatic biliary
apparatus. The duodenum is 10 inches (25 cm) long. It begins at the
pylorus which lies on the transpyloric plane about 2.5 cm to the
right of the median plane and ends at the duodenojejunal junction
which lies about 2.5 cm to the left of the median plane and little
below the transpyloric plane.The duodenum is retroperitoneal except
the proximal 2.5 cm, which is suspended above by the lesser omentum
and below by the greater omentum.The main function of the duodenum
is digestion. It receives chyme from the stomach which is mixed
with bile and pancreatic enzymes here.
Duodenum is divited into four parts.
The upper half of the duodenum develops from the foregut
and the lower half from the midgut. Therefore, the arterial
supply of the upper half is derived from the coeliac trunk
(artery of the foregut) and that of the lower half from the
superior mesenteric artery (artery of the midgut).
The small intestine proper extends from the duodenojejunal flexure
to the ileocaecal junction. Its upper two-fifth forms the jejunum
and its lower three-fifth forms the ileum. However, there is no
definite line of demarcation. The jejunum and ileum are suspended
from the posterior abdominal wall by a large fold of peritoneum
called the mesentery of small intestine; hence, the small intestine
enjoys a considerable mobility. The structure of the small
intestine corresponds to its functional requirements.
The large intestine is about 1.5 m long and extends from the caecum in the right iliac fossa to the an...us in the perineum. Apart from the transverse colon and sigmoid colon, it is more fixed in position than the small intestine.
For descriptive purposes, the large intestine is divided
into
the following four parts:
1. Caecum and appendix.
2. Colon.
The colon is further divided into four parts: ascending
colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and sigmoid
colon .
3. Rectum.
4. An...al canal.