(^284) Medical-Surgical Nursing Demystified
How the Gastrointestinal System Works
The gastrointestinal system includes the alimentary canal (mouth, esophagus,
stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum) and accessory organs (salivary
glands, liver, pancreas, gallbladder) and ducts. The alimentary canal is a hollow
tube lined with mucous membrane. The gastrointestinal tract functions to digest
food, absorb nutrients, propel the contents through the lumen, and eliminate the
waste products.
Key Terms
Accessory organs
Alimentary canal
Cholecystokinin
Fatty acids
Gastrin
Gastrointestinal tract
Glucagon
Hydrochloric acid
Ileocecal valve
Insulin
Islets of Langerhans
Lipase
Lower esophageal
sphincter (LES)
Oropharynx
Pepsin
Pepsinogen
Plasma
Proteins
Secretin
Sphincter of Oddi
Triglycerides
Trypsin
Upper esophageal
sphincter (UES)
Gastritis
Hepatitis
Hiatal hernia
Intestinal obstruction and
paralytic ileus
Pancreatitis
Peritonitis
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD)
Ulcerative colitis
Appendicitis
Cholecystitis
Cirrhosis
Crohn’s disease
Diverticulitis disease
Gastroenteritis
Gastroesophageal reflux
disease (GERD)
Gastrointestinal bleed