What is a laparoscopic appendectomy? The recovery time for a laparoscopic appendectomy is shorter than for an open appendectomy because it is less invasive. An appendectomy is the surgical removal of vermiform appendix, a finger-shaped sac attached to the beginning part of the colon (cecum). The appendix is located in the lower right abdomen. A...
What is Schatzki’s ring? What causes it? Schatzki's ring is a fibrous band of tissue that develops in and constricts the lower esophagus, possibly due to long-term GERD. Schatzki (Schatzki's) ring is described a smooth, benign (non-cancerous), circumferential, and narrow ring of tissue in the lower end of the esophagus (the food pipe that connects...
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) definition and facts Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story Picture of SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. SIBO can be considered to be of two types. One is associated with identifiable diseases or conditions of the intestines. The other is not. SIBO of either...
Facts you should know about primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) treatment PBC is a chronic disease characterized by progressive inflammation and destruction of small bile ducts within the liver. The bile ducts transport bile from the liver to the intestine for the absorption of fat and elimination of waste products. A disease of adults, PBC affects...
What are hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the lowest part of the rectum and anus. They are also called piles. Hemorrhoids can be treated by hemorrhoidectomy or stapled hemorrhoidopexy. The most accurate explanation for the development of hemorrhoids is that they appear due to the abnormal sliding of the veins at your bottom because...
What is the digestive system? Readers Comments 2 Share Your Story The digestive system involves organs that turn food into energy and eliminate waste. The energy required for all the processes and activities that take place in our bodies is derived from the foods we ingest. The digestive system allows us to utilize food from...
FODMAP foods for IBS, definition, and facts Readers Comments 5 Share Your Story A low FODMAP dietary plan can help ease IBS symptoms. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that are poorly absorbed by the body, resulting in abdominal pain and bloating. FODMAPs occur in...
What are hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoid symptoms may usually go away with diet and lifestyle modifications. You must, however, seek immediate medical care if your symptoms do not go away in a week. Hemorrhoids are inflamed or swollen veins near the anus (external hemorrhoids) or in the lower rectum (internal hemorrhoids). If you have hemorrhoids, you might...
Nausea and vomiting definition and facts Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of an underlying illness and due to not a specific disease. Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of a disease or condition, for example: Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) Food poisoning Pregnancy Acute gastritis Pancreatitis Appendicitis Brain tumors Stomach problems Medications Peptic ulcers GERD The cause of...
What is melanosis coli? Chronic laxative use deposits dark pigment in the lining layers of the large intestine, causing melanosis coli. Melanosis coli is a condition usually associated with chronic laxative use in which dark pigment is deposited in the lamina propria (one of the lining layers) of the large intestine (colon). The pigment deposition...