Dolichosigma of the intestine: symptoms and treatment. What is an elongated large intestine? How is it treated

Intestinal dolichosigmoid is often called a congenital anomalous lengthening of the sigmoid colon (department of the large intestine). As a result of the enlarged size, it is twisted one or more times, it may have a larger diameter (megadolichosigma). This leads to the appearance of the main symptom of this condition - a violation of defecation, which is replaced by persistent constipation.

The normal length of one sigmoid loop in an adult is from 24 to 46 cm. If this value is less than 24 cm, a developmental anomaly called "brachysigma" is noted. In the case of a bowel length of more than 46 cm, dolichosigmoid is noted, respectively. However, the opinion of scientists, whether to classify this condition as a pathology or not, diverged. Some consider it a pathology requiring urgent treatment. According to others, this is only a difference in the structure of the intestine, and therefore treatment may be needed only after the appearance of tangible symptoms that prevent the patient from living normally.

It should be noted that there may be cases when symptoms do not appear immediately. But this is rather an exception to the rule, usually a person is disturbed by frequent constipation. That is why dolichosigma is an anomaly that will eventually lead to the appearance of unpleasant symptoms. The diagnosis of "intestinal dolichosigma" is made equally often for both adult patients and children, and their manifestations are similar.

Symptomatic picture of the condition

The manifestations of this pathology are determined by the degree of functional disorders in the work of the colon and chronic poisoning of the body with toxic substances, which are formed as a result of a long stay of feces in the intestinal lumen.

The main symptom is persistent constipation. At first they appear sporadically, and therefore there is no bowel movement for more than 3 days. However, over time, the frequency and duration of such "difficulties" increases. Sometimes constipation can last up to 1 month. This leads to an increase in the diameter of the sigmoid colon while at the same time thinning the thickness of its walls, which is fraught with perforation.

Also, the result of frequent constipation is a natural decrease in the natural reflex to emptying (the body begins to “forget” how to do it). This is due to the fact that usually patients resort to self-medication, using all kinds of laxatives, suppositories or enemas.

Kal is also undergoing changes. It becomes denser and has a large diameter, often similar in shape to a “spruce cone” and has a sharp specific smell. Since hard feces pass through the rectum with great difficulty, damage to the mucous membrane is inevitable, and therefore blood droplets may appear in the stool.
This condition is rarely painless. As a rule, recurrent pain occurs (that is, a pain attack appears 3 or more times over 3 months) in the area around the navel or in the left iliac region. Due to disturbances in the digestive system, flatulence appears. The listed symptoms are especially pronounced after eating and physical exertion (at an advanced stage, pain may appear even after a long walk or a quick step), and disappear only after a successful bowel movement.

The presence of pain syndrome is due to reflex spasm of the intestine, the appearance of characteristic scars on the mesentery and the onset of the inflammatory process on the damaged intestinal mucosa.

Often this condition is concomitant with chronic gastroduodenitis, biliary dyskinesia, pancreatitis, hemorrhoids, dysbacteriosis and varicose veins.

A dangerous complication of dolichosigma is the formation of fecal stones, as a result of which fecal poisoning, dysbacteriosis, anemia (“leukemia”) and irritable bowel syndrome develop rapidly. Since the elongated intestine can form inversions, kinks, knots, there is a high risk of developing acute intestinal obstruction. There may be signs of an "acute abdomen".

The severity of symptoms depends on the stage of the disease:

Compressed. The patients feel normal, the general condition is usually not disturbed and there are no signs of inflammation. However, when palpating the abdomen, you can feel the intestine filled with solid feces. The work of the gastrointestinal tract can still be adjusted with the help of a specially selected diet and the use of “light” laxatives.

Subcompensated. Constipation bothers more and more often, and proper nutrition and laxatives are already powerless. The patient's health deteriorates sharply, and signs of intoxication appear. Defecation is possible only after the use of special cleansing enemas.

Decompensated. Symptoms of the condition increase very quickly, while appetite disappears, up to a complete refusal of food, nausea often occurs, sometimes vomiting, constant headaches, weakness and lethargy, indicating anemia. That is, there are signs of intoxication. Only siphon enemas help to empty.

Causes of additional sigmoid loops

Dolichosigma of the intestine can be either a congenital anomaly of the organ or a condition acquired throughout life. Until now, scientists have not fully figured out why, during the development of the fetus, the sigmoid colon is suddenly supplemented with “extra” loops. According to some versions, this can lead to:

unfavorable heredity (the presence in the anamnesis of future parents of anomalies and pathologies of the development of the digestive tract);
the impact on the developing fetus of harmful substances (pesticides, hazardous additives, preservatives in food), as well as physical factors;
diseases of any nature transferred by a pregnant woman, whether viral, infectious or bacterial;
the use of certain groups of drugs during pregnancy (antibiotics, antidepressants, and others).

However, digestive disorders can lead to lengthening of the sigmoid colon, which lead to the onset of fermentation of the intestinal contents and its gradual decay. As a rule, this condition is characteristic of people whose age is over 50 years. This should especially alert those who lead a sedentary lifestyle without even minimal physical exertion and abuse fatty foods and fast-digesting carbohydrates.

Until now, scientists have not come to a consensus on whether to consider dolichosigma a developmental defect or whether it is a purely individual feature. However, it must also be taken into account that such a condition entails disturbances in the work of this intestinal section, which affects the health of the patient, and therefore it can be argued that this is an anomaly. After all, the lengthening of the sigmoid colon is the "start" for the development of many gastrointestinal diseases.

In addition, morphological examination of the intestinal mucosa reveals structural changes. As a rule, the phenomenon of fibrosis is noted, in which, as a result of scarring, most of the normal typical tissues are replaced by connective tissue, severe swelling is observed due to the impregnation of the intestinal membrane with tissue fluid. Such changes are associated with a slowdown in peristalsis and the presence of a chronic inflammatory process, which also leads to a slowdown in motility.

Diagnosis of intestinal dolichosigma

Examination of the patient usually reveals underweight and pale skin (one of the signs of anemia). When palpating the abdomen, the gastroenterologist detects intestinal loops filled with feces. A digital rectal examination will show an empty rectum, although the patient usually complains of prolonged constipation.

The main diagnostic method in this case is irrigography. In the course of the examination, an increase in the size of the sigmoid colon in the presence of "extra" loops is found.

An instrumental diagnostic method of high accuracy in detecting this condition is computed tomography of the large intestine. With the help of virtual CT colonography, it is possible to assess the condition of the mucous membrane of the large intestine and identify space-occupying lesions without the need for endoscopic studies.

To assess intestinal motility, the doctor may prescribe electromyography and sphincterometry. Colonoscopy and ultrasound of the abdominal organs with suspected bowel dolichosigma are usually of an auxiliary nature.

It is also mandatory to conduct an analysis of fecal masses for occult blood (detection of bleeding), dysbacteriosis and eggs of worms (to exclude concomitant pathologies); blood tests (determination of the level of leukocytes, the value of ESR and hemoglobin).
In the course of diagnostic measures, the possibility of developing diseases such as ulcerative colitis, enterobiasis, chronic appendicitis, Hirschsprung's disease should be excluded. Therefore, for an accurate diagnosis, it may be necessary not only to consult a gastroenterologist, but also a coloproctologist, a surgeon.

Treatment of dolichosigma

After the discovery of intestinal dolichosigma, the patient becomes a special account with a gastroenterologist, after which it is necessary to clearly determine at what stage of development the anomaly is now. However, treatment always includes a conservative approach. First, a diet is selected, aimed at normalizing the functioning of the digestive tract.

The principles of proper nutrition:

fractional meals in small portions 5 times throughout the day, the breaks between them should not be more than 2 hours;
the diet should be rich in foods rich in fiber (fresh vegetables and fruits, bran);
sour-milk products will be useful;
the daily menu should also contain black bread, homemade kvass (since in industrial production the drink is often enriched with carbon dioxide, which is unacceptable in this state), fresh vegetable salads seasoned with vegetable oil;
instead of flour products, it is better to eat potato dishes;
it is advisable to take 15 ml of olive or castor oil every day to normalize bowel movements;
as a drink, a decoction of oats, sulfur-containing mineral waters, such as Essentuki No. 17 or Borjomi, is ideal, preferably in a warm form.

In addition, it is also very important to observe the diet. Complex therapy involves the appointment of appropriate medications. Sometimes it is possible to use mild laxatives (lactulose syrup, lactusan) and microclysters. Doses of drugs are selected for each patient, taking into account the degree of manifestations of functional disorders, up to soft bowel movements. However, the primary task in the lengthening of the sigmoid colon is to "form" the reflex to emptying again.

With especially acute symptoms in a hospital setting, the following can be prescribed:

prozerin and / or dibazol injection or in the form of tablets for 2 weeks, with a break of 1-2 months;
body support with vitamin therapy (group B);
preparations for the restoration of intestinal microflora (pro- and prebiotics);
belly massage courses;
stimulation of the colon by electric current (electrical stimulation), acupuncture, hydrocolonotherapy, exercise therapy;
with complaints of pain, the use of antispasmodics (no-shpa, platifillin) is indicated.

At the end of drug therapy in the hospital, additional sanatorium-and-spa treatment is recommended, which should become regular. However, this treatment option is effective only in the early stages of the disease. Despite this, indications for surgical treatment are rare.

Surgical intervention is justified in case of persistent and persistent constipation, lasting more than 1 month, with the progression of the expansion of the intestinal lumen and the detection of a persistent lesion of its neuromuscular conduction. The operation is also necessary in the development of acute intestinal obstruction, the absence of results of drug treatment, the increase in signs of intoxication, and the detection of uncorrectable intestinal kinks. Usually, the surgeon performs excision of excess intestinal loops; extremely rarely, the sigmoid colon is removed completely.

As a rule, the exact implementation of all the doctor's recommendations leads to the normalization of defecation and the appearance of an independent stool. However, even after undergoing a course of therapy, one must adhere to proper nutrition in order to exclude the development of alimentary or psychogenic constipation. Then the positive effect of drug treatment is observed in more than 90% of patients, no deaths were noted at all, and therefore the prognosis is only favorable. With intestinal dolichosigma, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow his recommendations, then you can forget about “especially difficult” days.

Dolichosigma of the intestine occurs in almost a quarter of the entire population of the earth. However, doctors suggest that the pathology is much more common, it's just that it is not always diagnosed, since in some cases it occurs with subtle symptoms.

With dolichosigma, the sigmoid colon lengthens without narrowing and without changing the wall thickness. That is, it does not stretch, but it increases. After lengthening, the sigmoid colon becomes mobile and interferes with the proper functioning of the large intestine. The formation and removal of feces from the body is disturbed.

In medicine, there are several types of abnormal sigmoid colon:

Normosigma is called the intestine 25-45 cm long.
Brachysigma is an abnormally short intestine, less than 25 cm.
Dolichosigmoid is the sigmoid colon longer than 45 cm.
Magadolylichosigma is an elongated sigmoid colon with thickened walls.

Causes of the emergence and development of dolichosigma

Dolichosigma is both congenital and acquired. What specifically affects the increase in the sigmoid colon is still unknown. There is an assumption that dolichosigma is transmitted from parents to children at the genetic level. There is also a theory that dolichosigma in children develops even in the womb under the influence of infectious diseases that a pregnant woman is ill with, or under the influence of drugs that she took. Dolichosigma in children is usually congenital.

Acquired dolichosigma occurs in middle-aged people - from 45 to 55 years. This is due to the fact that by this age people begin to lead a sedentary lifestyle and often abuse meat products and foods rich in fast carbohydrates. These factors contribute to fermentation and putrefaction in the colon, which leads to an increase in the sigmoid segment. Although there are experts who believe that in these cases, dolichosigma was congenital in the patient, but it manifested itself only under the influence of age and these factors.

At present, there is no unambiguous answer to the question of the origin of dolichosigma or whether it should be recognized as an anomaly at all. It is known that more than 15% of children with dolichosigma live without any problems with the colon and its functionality. On the other hand, a prolonged course of dolichosigma causes inflammation on the inside of the intestine, which affects the entire work of the digestive system.

Types of dolichosigma

The sigmoid colon has an s-shaped one-loop shape. When additional loops appear, the sigmoid colon is called two-loop or multi-loop. A similar phenomenon is called dolichosigma. This bowel is overly active and does not change its size or length after bowel defecation.

There are several options or stages for the course of dolichosigma:

At the compensation stage, constipation lasts no more than 3 days. There is severe pain in the abdomen. Constipation is overcome with laxatives and diet. The general condition of the person is normal.
The stage of subcompensation is the state when constipation and flatulence continue continuously. Abdominal pain is present all the time. Laxatives do not bring relief, you have to use an enema to defecate.
The stage of decompensation is the most severe form of dolichosigma. At this stage, constipation is permanent. Stomach pain does not subside. The large intestine is swollen with accumulated feces and gases. There is a pronounced intoxication of the body - a person has no appetite, he is tormented by nausea, acne appears on the skin. In this case, only a siphon enema helps.

Symptoms of dolichosigma

Symptoms of dolichosigma appear against the background of intoxication of the body in the form of functional disorders in the large intestine. With intestinal dolichosigma, the symptoms are directly proportional to the length of the sigmoid colon, the body's ability to fight intoxication.

Dolichosigma in a child manifests itself from six months to a year. It is caused by a change in nutrition from breastfeeding to artificial. At the same time, the composition, consistency and amount of feces changes. In children older than 3 years, dolichosigma causes constipation that lasts for several days. With age, constipation becomes more frequent and longer, which, accordingly, affects the morphology of the intestine, and also causes a decrease in the defecation reflex.

Cal with dolichosigmoid has the shape of a spruce cone. It is abnormally hard and is capable of damaging the mucous membrane and causing bleeding when passing through the rectum. The smell of such feces is strong and unpleasant, because due to stagnation it has time to ferment or begin to rot.

Inflammation of the inner wall of the colon can cause pain in the navel. This symptom appears after exercise and disappears after defecation. Often the pain is accompanied by flatulence.

Dolichosigma often becomes a provocateur of concomitant diseases. Children begin to suffer from pancreatitis, colitis or dysbacteriosis. Possible development of diverticular disease. Dolichosigma in adults causes hemorrhoids from constant effort and varicose veins. Dolichosigma in children causes the appearance of fecal stones, as well as fecal autointoxication, anemia may develop.

The most severe complication is volvulus or kink of the sigmoid colon. In this case, there is a complete obstruction of the intestine, which is characterized by acute pain.

Diagnostic measures

Examination of the patient and palpation of the abdomen is one of the first diagnostic methods. In children, on palpation, an empty rectum is clearly felt with a tense, full abdomen. The main tool that allows you to determine the shape and number of loops of the sigmoid colon is irrigography.

The large intestine is studied using MSCT. This method allows you to determine its length, contour and shape, the internal lumen of the intestine is measured. Children undergo a colonoscopy.

In adult patients, dolichosigma can be diagnosed by colon ultrasound or colon ultrasonography. In laboratories, dolichosigma is diagnosed by tests for dysbacteriosis. Feces are checked for blood and helminth eggs. Blood biochemistry is carried out.

For proper treatment, it is important to differentiate the pathology from other diseases - colitis, Crohn's disease, enterobiasis, chronic appendicitis. For this, the child undergoes a consultation with a pediatric gastroenterologist and a specialist in pediatric surgery.

Treatment of dolichosigma

With intestinal dolichosigmoid, complex treatment is required. First of all, the patient is prescribed a certain diet. It should include vegetables, bread made from wholemeal flour or bran, fruits, berries, various greens, vegetable oil and sour-milk products. Meals should be fractional - consist of several meals a day in small portions. This is necessary so that a healthy microflora is formed in the intestines and reflexes to spontaneous defecation arise.

In some cases, therapy includes an enema and laxatives. With severe pain, an antispasmodic Drotaverine or Platifilin is prescribed. If intestinal hypotension occurs, Prozerin is prescribed. You can massage the abdomen. Colon hydrotherapy is widely used. A course of vitamins B, C and E is often prescribed.

Only a doctor can recognize the symptoms, and only a specialist should prescribe treatment. Dolichosigma is a rather dangerous phenomenon that can have dire consequences, especially in children. Therefore, at the first sign of illness, you should immediately consult a doctor. No treatment with folk remedies can shorten the sigmoid colon to an acceptable size, so self-medication should be excluded.

Doctors resort to a surgical method of treatment in case of an inflection of the sigmoid colon or the formation of a node on it. This leads to acute intestinal obstruction and, as a result, chronic intoxication of the body.

What are the forecasts

With proper and timely treatment, dolichosigma is asymptomatic. Constipation becomes less frequent and bowels are emptied regularly. In most cases, children's dolichosigma disappears with age. But if the sigmoid colon remains long even after the child grows up, then, as an adult, he will have to follow a diet all his life.

Young patients diagnosed with dolichosigma should be checked regularly by a gastroenterologist. The doctor, at the slightest deviation from the norm of defecation, will be able to choose the right mild remedy for constipation and prevent intoxication and severe pain in the abdomen.

Preventive actions

Since dolichosigma is a congenital phenomenon that appears even in the womb, no special preventive measures are taken. However, if dolichosigma is diagnosed, you should follow a diet, drink more water, eat cellulose, which facilitates the movement of feces through the intestines, and regularly massage the abdomen. These measures will help to avoid constipation and related troubles. Be healthy!

The sigmoid colon is an S-shaped segment of the digestive canal 24-46 cm long and 4 cm wide, where water and vitamins are absorbed. In each person, this part of the large intestine differs in some anatomical features. Cases of its abnormal lengthening are called dolichosigma.

Without unpleasant symptoms, the condition is considered a variant of the norm. If it is accompanied by prolonged constipation, flatulence, recurrent abdominal pain, then pathologies are already called and require adequate treatment. Many people have not heard much about this rare disease, although its destructive effect on digestion and the body as a whole deserve close attention. So we will look at what an elongated intestine is and how to treat it.

What is dolichosigma

This is a defect in the colon, causing its excessive mobility, resulting in serious problems with the formation and passage of feces. The incidence of pathology in the adult population is quite high and amounts to 25%, although the real figures are much higher. Causes: difficulties in diagnosis and erased symptoms. In childhood, dolichosigma is found in 40% of cases associated with constipation.

Causes of the disease

Dolichosigma is characterized by an unclear etiology. It can be congenital, and due to a number of factors, among which the most significant are:

genetic predisposition.
The impact of adverse conditions on the embryonic development of the fetus.
Past infections and taking certain medications during pregnancy.

The reasons for the acquired form of the elongated sigma are:

Prolonged putrefaction of food in the intestines.
Physical inactivity.
Abuse of carbohydrates and proteins.
Stress.
Age over 50 years.

The motility of the digestive canal is weakened due to secondary changes in the intestine, including:

Mucosal dystrophy.
Growth of muscle tissue.
Violations in the structure of the mesentery.

According to some experts, dolichosigma is always congenital, and the manifestation of its manifestations occurs due to problematic digestion and anatomical defects. Until now, proctologists cannot come to a consensus on whether dolichosigma belongs to vices or is considered the norm.

Symptoms

Among the main signs of the disease are:

Prolonged constipation, the number of which increases over time. There may not be a chair for a week, and sometimes for a month.
Stagnation of feces leads to poisoning of the body.
Pain with difficult localization. Intensifies over time.
Flatulence.
Bloating.
Appetite problems.

Accurate diagnosis

It begins with an examination of the patient by a doctor who collects data on complaints, operations and past diseases. Thanks to the analysis of a family history, the specialist determines the genetic predisposition to anomalies in the structure of the sigma. The doctor performs palpation of the abdomen, in the presence of pathology reveals pain in the region to the left of the navel.

Methods of laboratory diagnostics make it possible to assess the composition of blood and feces, by which it is already possible to judge the presence of inflammatory processes, the level of hemoglobin, and the concentration of basic microelements.

Of the instrumental diagnostic methods are assigned:

Sigmoidoscopy with visualization of the mucosa of the lower parts of the digestive canal.
Colonoscopy with examination and biopsy of the intestinal wall.
Irrigography with contrast to identify its narrowed or expanded areas.
X-ray examination showing characteristic sigma loops.
Ultrasound and multislice computed tomography.

Stages and possible complications

Dolichosigma proceeds through 3 stages:

Compensated, with pain in the lower abdomen due to periodic constipation lasting 3 days. The patient's condition improves after taking laxatives and following a diet.
Subcompensated, characterized by flatulence and constant constipation. Helps enemas and drugs with a laxative effect.
Decompensated, which is characterized by delayed bowel movements up to a week, bloating, accompanied by constant severe pain. The consequence of poisoning the body are skin lesions with the appearance of pustules, nausea, lack of appetite. Relief comes after siphon enema.

Ignoring the problem can lead to complications, including:

Irritable bowel syndrome, accompanied by discomfort in the abdomen, flatulence and other functional digestive disorders.
Eruptions on the skin.
Anemia.
Weight loss.
Problems with intestinal permeability.
Cracks in the walls of the stomach and bleeding.
The formation of dense dry fecal stones from stagnant feces, which makes it difficult to defecate on your own.
Poisoning of the body with toxic products of decay due to their reabsorption into the blood.

Treatment of intestinal dolichosigma

Therapy begins with determining the clinical stage of the disease and registering the patient for dispensary registration.

Medicines

The treatment regimen consists of repeated courses and is carried out conservatively if there is no threat to the life and health of the patient. In case of hypotension of the digestive canal, the doctor prescribes: Prozerin in a course of 2-3 weeks, taking vitamins B6, B12, E and C, reflexology, electrical stimulation of the large intestine (consisting of 15 procedures, which are carried out one every day).

If necessary, treatment in adults is carried out using hypnotics and sedatives, as well as antispasmodics (No-shpa and Platifillin), defoamers, pre- and probiotics, prokinetics, saline laxatives to increase the volume of feces.

To consolidate the achieved positive results, treatment in specialized sanatorium-resort complexes is recommended.

Folk remedies

Subject to a special diet and medical recommendations, dolichosigma can be treated with homemade recipes, but only after the approval of the doctor. To get rid of constipation prepare:

A decoction of 250 ml of water and 2 tbsp. l. buckthorn fruits. After 2 hours of infusion, drink a third of a glass before going to bed. Leads to a healthy morning bowel movement.
Cabbage juice to take 0.5 tbsp. within 3 weeks.
A mixture of yarrow, cumin, buckthorn and watch (2:1:5:2). Pour one tablespoon of herbal collection with a glass of boiling water, after insisting and filtering, divide the resulting volume by 3-4 times.
Remedy from 250 ml of boiling water and 1 tbsp. l. raisins. Insist hour. Can be given to a child.

Exercises

With a diagnosis of intestinal dolichosigma, professional sports and intense physical activity are contraindicated, but walking, not very long runs, swimming, morning exercises and special exercises are useful. They normalize bowel function and improve the general condition of a person.

In the morning, without getting out of bed, you can perform a complex of physiotherapy exercises from the following exercises:

Sitting on the edge of the sofa, raise your hands, your left leg too, while lowering your right leg and strive with the movements of the body so that the limbs meet. Perform 10 times.
Sitting on the bed, feet shoulder-width apart. Try to touch your right knee with your left elbow.
Hands behind head. The legs are bent at the knees and raised at a right angle. Perform knee turns in one direction or the other.
Hold on to the headboard with your hands. Rotate the feet, while keeping the legs straight and closed.
The starting position is the same. The left leg is placed on the right, with the foot down, trying to get the bed.

The problem with prolonged constipation is eliminated by doing regular squats daily.

Exercises in combination with massage give a good result, for example, in a standing position, tilt the torso forward, rest your fists on the area on both sides of the navel and make rotational and pressing movements. A simple impact on the peritoneal area is ineffective.

Operation

Surgical intervention is prescribed in the case of complicated dolichosigma, which is not amenable to drug therapy, and its symptoms affect the patient's labor and social activity. In exceptional cases, an operation is performed to resect excess loops and kinks that cannot be straightened, or the entire intestine. It is indicated for progressive prolonged and persistent constipation, a sharp weakening of reflexes in response to mechanical stimuli, expansion of the sigma, persistent damage to the muscular apparatus and nervous regulation. The endoscopic detorsion method is used in case of torsion of the sigma.

Diet for sickness

Nutritional modification is part of the treatment for uncomplicated dolichosigma. The patient's condition improves with the observance of the water-salt regime and the use of foods high in fiber: honey, fruits, kvass, rye bread and raw vegetables. The diet should include potato dishes instead of flour products.

The intestine is a long organ that is a conduit for nutrients that enter the bloodstream. It starts from The food goes a long way, starting from the esophagus and down the entire length of the intestine. An adult and children may have problems, but not everyone knows about them. Many do not know how long the intestines are in an adult. This article can deal with it.

Bowel functions

So, in more detail. The intestines are engaged in the breakdown of nutrients, which then enter the bloodstream. They come from the stomach already digested. Everything that turned out to be superfluous leaves him through the anus, in the form of gases and feces. The intestine performs a peculiar role of a juicer. That is, it selects everything useful from the body, and the rest, which does not bring any benefit, brings it out. Also along the entire length of the intestine in an adult and a child there are beneficial bacteria. They are able to attack pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms. If the intestinal microflora is disturbed, problems with the digestive system can begin and various diseases can begin to bind.

Structure

The intestinal section begins with the duodenum. In shape, it resembles an arc. Its length is approximately 20 centimeters. It is she who controls the work of the stomach, that is, it regulates its motor function, and is also responsible for the amount of secreted acid. It also breaks down proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

After the small intestine comes the large intestine. Everything that could not be digested gets into it. Its main function will be the formation of feces and its removal, as well as the absorption of water. The process of digestion continues in the large intestine. In this case, various bacteria help her. The more of them, the easier it is to do it. But when there are few of them, for example, due to the use of antibiotics, then it becomes already difficult for the intestines.

The large intestine ends in the rectum. Here there is an accumulation of feces, which then leaves the body when visiting the toilet.

Throughout the length of the intestine in an adult, there are important bacteria that help a person maintain the immune system. Therefore, it is especially important to follow it.

Colon diseases

Today, there are many diseases that can harm this part of the intestine. Here are the main ones:

Colitis is an inflammation of the intestine that can progress in acute, chronic, and ulcerative forms. It can occur after malnutrition, surgery, infection. It is considered a very dangerous disease, since in severe forms it can lead to peritonitis or even death.
Suction problem. It is in the large intestine that the absorption of fluids occurs, but sometimes this function is impaired during inflammation. Because of this, the body can suffer from dehydration.
Constipation is a disorder caused by the absence of stool for a long time. According to the rules, a person should go to the toilet once a day, if he does not, then constipation has occurred. This problem comes from malnutrition or certain diseases.
Diarrhea - frequent urge to go to the toilet, in which the feces come out in a liquid state. This disorder can be caused by infection, disease, malnutrition, or stress. With diarrhea, a person may experience pain in the anus and abdomen.

Diseases of the small intestine

The small intestine is considered very important for a person, but from time to time diseases can occur that can change ordinary life. Some of them:

Enteritis. This disease is caused by Escherichia coli or Salmonella. It can also be caused by prolonged use of antibiotics.
celiac disease This disease occurs when there is a deficiency of an enzyme that can break down gluten. It leaves residues that have a bad effect on the small intestine. Because of this, the walls of the latter become thinner, and it begins to do its job poorly.
Whipple's disease. The reason is inflammation, which is caused by certain bacteria, after which they block the ability to absorb nutrients.
Dysbacteriosis. It is formed when there is a significant decrease in beneficial bacteria in the small intestine. This can occur due to long-term use of antibiotics or antimicrobials, as well as infections or food poisoning.

What is the length of the intestine in an adult

The question is ambiguous. The length of the small intestine is about four meters. This figure may be slightly more or less, it depends on the size of the person, as well as his gender. The length of the small intestine of the dead will be much longer, about eight meters. This is due to the fact that he lacks muscle tone.

The length of the large intestine in an adult will be much less than the small intestine. It will be about two meters, but there may be slight changes in performance.

Gas formation, or bloating, comes from the swallowed air, which passes along the entire length of the intestines of an adult and a child. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to chew food thoroughly.

When food enters the body, all digestive organs begin to contract so that food passes more easily.

About 7 liters of fluid enters the large intestine. It is obtained from water, mucus, bile and enzymes. But only 7 tablespoons come out of the human body.

Why do humans have such a long intestine?
("Other")

Herbivorous animals have fairly long intestines. At the same time, the blind and thick sections are well developed in them. The length of the large intestine in rodents can reach 53% of the total length of the entire intestine. In predators, it is much shorter. For example, a sheep has an intestine, the length of which exceeds the length of the body by 29-35 times, a wild boar - by 14, a horse - by 12, and a wolf - by 6. The thick section is inhabited by a symbiotic microflora, which is most well developed in herbivores. Intestine at...

0 0

Biologically, a person was formed as a vegan a very long time ago, and, as you know, hereditary traits in highly organized creatures are very stable.

Although, since the Ice Age, man has been eating meat, his anatomy and physiology have remained the same, adapted to eating plant foods, and not meat. Its teeth cannot tear raw meat, it does not have the fangs of a predator, but the front teeth - incisors - are adapted for biting off fruits or vegetables, and the side teeth are designed for chewing fiber, coarse plant foods.

The human intestine is long, like that of other herbivorous animals - fiber takes a significant amount of time to digest.

The body temperature of a person is lower than that of a predator (for example, a dog), and this also prevents a person from digesting meat food.

Comparative analysis of the human digestive system with carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.

Man is most often referred to as "omnivore"....

0 0

The intestine is a section of the digestive system in most vertebrates. It follows directly behind the stomach. In the intestine, the final digestion of the food taken, the absorption of nutrients, as well as the removal (evacuation) of undigested substances is carried out. In some animals, the digestive tract consists of only this section. In this case, the length of the intestine depends on the type of animal, the characteristics of the food it eats and age.

0 0

In carnivores, the length of the gastrointestinal tract is only 3 times the length of the animal's body, which allows you to quickly remove rotting meat from the body.

In herbivores, the length of the gastrointestinal tract is 6-10 times the length of the body; plant foods decompose much more slowly than meat, so they can stay in the intestines longer.

In humans, as an omnivore (but more herbivorous), the length of the intestine is 6-8 times the length of the body.

Man in his internal structure is more like herbivores than predators. It has ten times less acidic gastric juice than carnivores, lacks the sharp incisors needed to tear meat, and has flat molars designed for longer digestion of food.
Man has no fangs, and there are only rudiments of fangs. The length of the gastrointestinal tract in humans is like that of a cow: eight times longer than the length of the body, so the toxins released during the decomposition of the eaten meat stay in the body for a very long time ...

0 0

The intestine is a long organ that is a conduit for nutrients that enter the bloodstream. It starts from the pylorus of the stomach. Food travels a long way, starting from the esophagus and down the entire length of the intestine. An adult and children may have problems, but not everyone knows about them. Many do not know how long the intestines are in an adult. This article can deal with it.

Bowel functions

0 0

The length of the intestine in animals and humans

Vegetarianism or meat-eating - what is a person intended for?

Quite often I hear statements that a person is a predator by design or, on the contrary, a herbivore. Sometimes this develops into disputes about the benefits / harms of vegetarianism / meat eating and about what kind of food the human body is intended for.

I wanted to delve deeper into this issue, to find arguments in favor of one or another point of view.

I must immediately make a reservation that I consider vegetarianism to be more preferable for a person.

All factors in favor of a particular food belong to one of two types: physiological (the structure of external, internal organs) and expediency factors #8212; that is, what a person wants to get from food and how food affects a person.

Let's look at physiological factors first.

The group of carnivores, like the group of herbivores, within the group are distinguished by a similar structure of external and ...

0 0

The intestine is the part of the digestive system that starts at the duodenum and ends at the anus. The intestine is a structure in which a variety of processes occur that carry out the digestion and absorption of nutrients. The mucous membrane at the same time produces a number of biologically active compounds necessary for the physiological breakdown of products. This article will tell you everything about the structure, physiology, function, pathology and diagnosis of the human intestine.

3D model of the intestine

Anatomy

How many meters is the intestine of an adult? Structurally and anatomically, the intestines can be divided into thin and thick sections. The total length of the intestine in an adult is from 3.2 to 4.7 m. The length of the thin section can vary from 1.7 to 4.2 m. In women, the length of the small intestine is shorter than in men. In the initial part, the length of the small intestine is 50 mm, in the transitional area, the diameter reaches 30...

0 0

There is a medical term - dolichosigma, meaning the lengthening of the large intestine. What it is and how it is treated - you can learn about this and much more by reading this material.

What is dolichosigma?

Our intestines consist, as you know, of departments.

The lower part is the large intestine.

Its longest part is the colon, which, like a rim, surrounds the small intestine. Thus, the small intestine is located in the center of the abdominal cavity, while the colon, as it were, wraps around it at the edges.

In turn, the colon also has several sections, one of which is the descending colon, which passes into the sigmoid colon - the final section of the large intestine (ending in the rectum). Dolichosigmoid is a lengthening of the sigmoid colon.

In many cases, bowel lengthening does not cause any symptoms for life. In this case, we are talking about one of the variants of the norm, an individual feature ...

0 0

Dolichosigma is a congenital pathological condition of the intestine, when the sigmoid colon (the area that passes into the rectum) is longer than the physiological norm. Due to its size, the sigmoid colon can be twisted, lie in layers or have too large a diameter, so intestinal dolichosigma is sometimes manifested by violations of the absorption and excretion processes in the body. Specialist doctors diagnose it as a disease only if such a deformation of the intestine causes discomfort, leads to pathologies and needs to be urgently treated.

What causes the disease? Forms of dolichosigma Main signs Possible complications Diagnostic methods Features of treatment

Causes

Dolichosigma is considered not only a pathology, but also a variation in the structure of the intestine, depending on the specific clinical case. The reasons for this change may be:

1. Congenital, when the sigmoid ...

0 0

The intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract that runs from the stomach to the anus. Despite the insignificant volume that the intestine has in its natural position, it has a very long length. This organ is involved in digestion and elimination of toxins, and is also an integral part of the immune system. In addition, hormones are synthesized here.

Intestine length

The intestine is divided into 2 parts: thin and thick.

The intestine is divided into 2 parts:

Thin (with varying diameter from 2.5 cm to 6 cm); thick (with a diameter of 6 - 10 cm).

The length of these parts also varies: in the large intestine it is about 2 m.

The length of the thin one is about 4 m, but these indicators are typical for living people. After death, the length of the small intestine increases significantly - up to 8 m.

This is possible due to the complete relaxation of his muscles. It is noted that the length of the small intestine in women and men differs: in the representatives of the stronger sex it is longer. The intestine increases in length along with growth ...

0 0

When the sigmoid colon with its mesentery is lengthened, intestinal dolichosigma is diagnosed. What is it? At the same time, people complain of impaired intestinal motility with difficulty defecation. Such anomalies are often accompanied by the manifestation of attacks of flatulence, frequent pain with prolonged constipation. Often, people experience bloating. Dolichosigma can be diagnosed by X-ray or endoscopic examination. Treatment of this disease is based on the use of physiotherapy, special massages and maintaining a special diet.

Description of pathology

Intestinal dolichosigma is associated with abnormal lengthening of the rectum. At the same time, its mesenteric part is also lengthened. Dolichosigma in both adults and children is congenital, so it is extremely difficult to cure it.

Abnormal elongation of the sigmoid colon has a certain course: Sometimes it manifests itself from birth. Often does not manifest itself for a long part of life ....

0 0

Download Original]">

The intestine is one of the vital human organs, since it supplies the body with the necessary valuable substances, eliminates harmful substances and compounds, and supports immune defenses.

Length, structure and function of the intestine

The intestine is the largest organ in the abdominal cavity. It enters the excretory and digestive systems of the body.

It has departments:

Duodenum; ileum and jejunum; cecum; transverse ascending and descending colon; rectum and sigmoid colon; anus.

The organ begins after the stomach and connects to it. Relating to the digestive system, the intestine interacts with its organs. It constantly receives bile from the gallbladder. The intestine itself provides hydrochloric acid to the stomach for the primary process of decomposition of incoming food.

It grows simultaneously with a person: its thickness, length, diameter, shape changes ....

0 0

It should be noted that it is possible...

0 0