The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract—a

series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus—and

other organs that help the body break down and absorb

food.

In order, beginning at the mouth and continuing to the

anus, these organs are the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus,

stomach, small intestine, large intestine – also called the colon

– rectum, and anus.

There are many different types of procedures, laboratory tests performed in order to diagnose or treat digestive system disorders. Here are a few examples:•Colonoscopy•Lavage•Hernioplasty•Choledocholithotripsy

Large Intestine - Colon Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is

the endoscopic examination of

the large colon and the distal part

of the small bowel with a CCD

camera or a fiber optic camera on

a flexible tube passed through

the anus. It may provide a visual

diagnosis (e.g. ulceration, polyps)

and grants the opportunity for

biopsy or removal of suspected

lesions.

STOMACH GASTRIC LAVAGE

Gastric lavage, also commonly

called stomach pumping or Gastric

irrigation, is the process of cleaning

out the contents of the stomach. Such

devices are normally used on a person

who has ingested

a poison or overdosed on a drug. They

may also be used before surgery, to

clear the contents of the digestive

tract before it is opened.

Gastric lavage, also called a stomach pump. For this

procedure, a flexible NG tube is inserted through the nose, down the throat, and into the stomach and the contents of the stomach are suctioned out. The inside of

the stomach is rinsed with a saline (salt water) solution.

HERNIA HERNIOPLASTY

A hernia is protrusion of an organ or the muscular wall of an organ through the cavity that normally contains it.

Hernioplasty - surgical repair of a hernia; sometimes

specifically that using a mesh patch or plug for reinforcement.

Common bile duct stone Choledocholithotripsy

Choledocholithotripsy -

fragmentation of a

gallstone in the common

bile duct either by

transcutaneous sonic

energy or endoscopically

directed laser, or by usage

of lithotrite instrument.

Researchers believe that gallstones may be caused by a

combination of factors, including:

•Inherited body chemistry

•Body weight (rapid weight loss, constipation, eating less

fish, and low intakes of the nutrients, magnesium, calcium,

and vitamin C may increase risk of the gallstones

formation. On the other hand, wine and whole grain bread

may decrease the risk of gallstones.

•Gallbladder motility

•Diet (No clear relationship has been proven between diet and

gallstone formation. However, low-fibre, high-cholesterol

diets, and diets high in starchy foods have been suggested

as contributing to gallstone formation).

•Increased levels of the hormone as a result

of pregnancy, hormone therapy, or the use of combined

(estrogen-containing) forms of hormonal contraception, may

increase cholesterol levels in bile and also decrease

gallbladder movement, resulting in gallstone formation.

Cholesterol gallstones develop when bile

contains too much cholesterol and not enough

bile salts. Besides a high concentration of

cholesterol, two other factors seem to be

important in causing gallstones. The first is how

often and how well the gallbladder contracts;

incomplete and infrequent emptying of the

gallbladder may cause the bile to become

overconcentrated and contribute to gallstone

formation. The second factor is the presence of

proteins in the liver and bile that either promote

or inhibit cholesterol crystallization into

gallstones.