| nervous colon syndrome | <syndrome> A common gastrointestinal disorder characterised by abdominal pain, bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits with alternating diarrhoea and constipation, symptoms that tend to be chronic and wax and wane over the years. Although nervous colon syndrome can cause chronic recurrent discomfort, it appears to be an abnormal condition of gut contractions (motility) and does not lead to any serious organ problems. Diagnosis usually involves excluding other illnesses. Treatment is directed toward relief of symptoms and includes high fibre diet, exercise, relaxation techniques, avoidance of caffeine, milk products and sweeteners, and medications. Alternative names include irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colitis, and mucus colitis. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| syndrome, nervous colon | See Syndrome, irritable bowel. (12 Dec 1998) |
| high pressure nervous syndrome | <syndrome> A syndrome of tremors, nausea, dizziness, and decreased motor and mental performance which develops in those who dive deeply (c. 1000 ft) usually breathing a mixture of oxygen and helium. Nitrogen is not a factor as it is in inert gas narcosis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adenomatous colon polyps | <radiology> Probability of malignancy by size and type Size (cm) less than 1 1-2 greater than 2 --------------------------- tubular 1% 10% 34% mixed (TV) 4% 9% 45% villous 10% 10% 54%, most colon polyps (90%) are hyperplastic (size less than 5 mm) (12 Dec 1998) |
| arterial arches of colon | Anastomosing branches of the colic arteries that form arch's in the mesocolon from which the walls of the colon are supplied. See: marginal artery of colon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ascending colon | <anatomy> The first part of the colon (large intestine) that starts in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen and ends at the transverse colon in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. (27 Sep 1997) |
| bands of colon | teniae coli |
| cancer, colon | A malignant tumour arising from the inner wall of the large intestine. The third leading cause of cancer in males, fourth in females in the U.S. Risk factors for cancer of the colon and rectum (colorectal cancer) include heredity, colon polyps, and long standing ulcerative colitis. most colorectal cancers develop from polyps. Removal of colon polyps can prevent colorectal cancer. Colon polyps and early cancer can have no symptoms. Therefore, regular screening is important. Diagnosis can be made by barium enema or by colonoscopy with biopsy confirmation of cancer tissue. Surgery is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cancer, colon: screening and surveillance | Colon cancer is both preventable and curable. It is preventable by removing precancerous colon polyps. It is curable if early cancer is surgically removed before cancer spread to other parts of the body. Therefore, if screening and surveillance programs were practiced universally, there would be a major reduction in the incidence and mortality of colon cancer. (12 Dec 1998) |
| marginal artery of colon | Artery formed by anastomoses between the right and left colic artery's; it passes downward from the left colic flexure to the aboral end of the pelvic colon. Synonym: artery of Drummond, Riolan's arc. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant colon | An abnormally large or dilated colon, the condition may be congenital or acquired, acute or chronic. (18 Nov 1997) |
| mesentery of sigmoid colon | See: mesocolon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mesentery of transverse colon | See: mesocolon. (05 Mar 2000) |
| colon | <anatomy> Also called the large intestine. This structure has 6 major divisions: caecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum. The total length is approximately 5 feet in the adult and it is responsible for forming, storing and expelling waste matter. (27 Sep 1997) |
| colon ascendens | <anatomy> The first part of the colon (large intestine) that starts in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen and ends at the transverse colon in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. (27 Sep 1997) |