Ileocaecal valve
Ileocaecal Valve
The Ileocaecal Valve (pronounced as il-e-o-SEE-kul) is a sphincter muscle situated at the junction of the small intestine and the large intestine. Its primary function is to allow the passage of digested food materials from the ileum into the caecum while preventing reflux back into the ileum.
Etymology
The term "Ileocaecal Valve" is derived from the Latin words "ileum" which means "twisted intestine" and "caecum" which means "blind", referring to the blind-ended pouch at the beginning of the large intestine.
Anatomy
The Ileocaecal Valve is a critical part of the digestive system. It is located on the right side of the abdominal cavity, and it marks the anatomical transition point between the terminal part of the small intestine (the ileum) and the first part of the large intestine (the caecum).
Function
The primary function of the Ileocaecal Valve is to prevent the backflow of colonic contents into the ileum. It also plays a role in slowing down the passage of digested food from the ileum to the caecum, allowing further digestion and absorption of nutrients in the large intestine.
Related Terms
- Ileum: The third and longest portion of the small intestine.
- Caecum: The first part of the large intestine into which the ileum opens.
- Digestive System: The system of organs responsible for getting food into and out of the body and for making use of food to keep the body healthy.
- Sphincter: A ring-like muscle that normally maintains constriction of a body passage or orifice and that relaxes as required by normal physiological functioning.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ileocaecal valve
- Wikipedia's article - Ileocaecal valve
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski