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Basic GI Anatomy and Physiology

This anatomical drawing shows the major organs of the GI tract.  An important organ which is not identified is the midsection of the small intestine, the jejunum, which is downstream from the duodenum (section of small intestine as it leaves the stomach) and upstream of the ileum (section of small intestine entering the colon).  The colon is also called the large intestine.

The esophagus conveys swallowed solids and liquids to the stomach.  The stomach secretes digestive acid and enzymes which are mixed into food matter by the stomach’s grinding function.  The stomach’s processed matter is then delivered to the duodenum, where bile and pancreatic fluids are added.

  Absorption of nutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals) occurs in the small intestine.  Absorption of water and electrolytes occurs in the large intestine (colon).

abdomen, intestine, large
Index of Information About Specific Diseases, Conditions or Treatments

-A-
Abdominal pain (functional dyspepsia) in adults from UpToDate
Achalasia from UpToDate
Anal fissure from UpToDate
-B-
Barrett’s esophagus-Monitoring and treatment of Barrett’s esophagus from UpToDate

Watts 3D – Barrett’s surveillance

Wats3D versus biopsies for surveillance

Breath Tests
Fructose Malabsorption
Lactose Intolerance
Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Books of Interest Page
-C-
Calcium and vitamin D for bone health from UpToDateCeliac disease (sprue)
Celiac disease from UpToDate
Celiac Disease Foundation
Celiac Sprue Association
Prometheus Celiac Plus
-Publications:
  Gluten-Free Living available in Durango at Nature’s Oasis
-Sources for uncontaminated oats:  Gluten Free Oats | Cream Hill | Bob’s Red Mill
See our Books of Interest Page for a reading recommendation related to this subject
Cirrhosis from UpToDate
Clostridium difficile (Antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile) from UpToDate

Collagenous colitis from the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

Colon polyps from UpToDate

Colon cancer
What You Need To Know About Cancer of the Colon and Rectum from the National Cancer Institute
Colorectal cancer screening:  questions and answers from the National Cancer Institute 
Screening for colon cancer from UpToDate 
Treatment of rectal cancer from UpToDate
Treatment of colon cancer from UpToDate
Hereditary cancer testing at Myriad Tests
Constipation in adults from UpToDateCrohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease from UpToDate 
Inflammatory bowel disease and pregnancy from UpToDate 
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America brochures
Crohn’s & Me 

-D-

Diarrhea

Acute diarrhea in adults from UpToDate
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (Clostridium difficile) from UpToDate
Chronic diarrhea in adults from UpToDate
Dictionary of Cancer Terms from the National Cancer Institute
Diet and health from UpToDate
Diet and FODMAPs (see FODMAPs below)
Fiber Intake Calculator 
Fiber recommendations
Ketogenic Diet from Diet Doctor

Ketogenic diet  from LMNT editors

4 ways to Become Fat Adapted  from LMNT editors

21 Day Sugar Detox – See our Books of Interest Page for a reading recommendation related to this subject
Virta Health Reverse type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes

Diverticulosis and diverticulitis-Diverticular disease from UpToDate

Dyspepsia from UpToDate
-Iberogast is available at Seacoast Vitamins
-E-
Eosinophilic esophagitis from the American Partnership For Eosinophilic Disorders
Eosinophilic esophagitis from the Children’s Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation and The International Gastrointestinal Eosinophil Researchers (TIGER)
-F-
Fecal incontinence from UpToDate
Fiber recommendations

FODMAPs – Low FODMAPSs Diet  from the Gastroenterological Association of Australia
FODMAPs – Low FODMAPs Diet from Shepherd Works
FODMAPs – detailed review  Gibson PR, Shepherd SJ.  Evidence-based dietary management of functional gastrointestinal symptoms: The FODMAP approach.   Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.  2010.
-G-
Gallstones
 from UpToDate
Gas and bloating from UpToDate
Gastroesophageal reflux disease in adults (GERD) from UpToDate
Bedge Foam bed wedge (recent searches suggest that this product, which helped many patients, is no longer available)
MedCline Foam bed wedge (designed for side sleepers)
Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) medications (Prilosec®, Prevacid®, Aciphex®, Protonix®, Nexium® and generics)
Gilbert’s syndrome from UpToDate
-H-
Helicobacter pylori infection and treatment from UpToDate
Hemochromatosis from UpToDate
Hepatitis from UpToDate
Autoimmune | Hepatitis B | Hepatitis C

Hemorrhoids from UpToDate
Hemorrhoid CRH O’Regan System
Hemorrhoid treatments that can be performed during colonoscopy
Hemorrhoid treatment aftercare

Hiatal hernia from MedicineNet.com
-I-
Irritable bowel syndrome from UpToDate
See our Books of Interest Page for a reading recommendation related to this subject

-K-

Ketogenic diet  from LMNT editors

-L-
Lymphangiectasia, intestinal from eMedicine
Lymphocytic colitis from the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse

-M-
Melanosis coli from Wikipedia
Microscopic colitis from UpToDate
-N-
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) from UpToDate
-O-
Obesity from UpToDate:  Weight loss treatments | Weight loss surgery
Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator from Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Calorie Calculator for Goal Weight from Precision Nutrition
Ketogenic Diet from Diet Doctor
21 Day Sugar Detox (See our Books of Interest Page for a reading recommendation related to this subject)
Virta Health Reverse type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes
-P-
Pancreatitis from UpToDateAcute pancreatitis | Chronic pancreatitis
Peptic ulcers from UpToDateHelicobacter pylori infection and treatment | Peptic ulcer disease
Probiotics
Probiotics from the AGA Patient Center Choosing the right Probiotic
Align® Bifidobacter infantis 35624
P3-OM from Bio-optimizers
Culturelle® Lactobacillus GG
Florastor® Saccharomyces boulardii
Pendulum The only probiotic clinically shown to lower blood glucose spikes 
Phillip’s Colon Health® Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacteria longum
VSL#3® Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus
Proton Pump Inhibitors

-S-

Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) | Guidelines Breath Testing

-U-
Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis from UpToDate
See our Books of Interest Page for a reading recommendation related to this subject
Living with Ulcerative Colitis from Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)
Inflammatory bowel disease and pregnancy from UpToDate
Sulfasalazine and the 5-aminosalicylates from UpToDate
List of CCFA Brochures
-W-
Wilson’s disease
 from the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke

Educational Sites of Interest

American Gastroenterological Association | Patient Center
American Liver Foundation | Download ALF Materials
Association of Cancer Online Resources

Clinical Trials
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America

DestinationRx – Prescription Drug Information
Lab tests online
Mayo Clinic health site
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse
 – Index of Topics and Titles
New York Times Health
PubMed National Library of Medicine
Radiology Info – American College of Radiology & The Radiology Society of North America
UpToDate for Patients – Consult the medical information resource doctors trust
WebMD
Your Disease Risk
Your right to make health care decisions – Living wills and related information for Colorado residents

 

Search EnginesPubMed | Google Scholar  | OpenMD

Doctor’s Electronic Desk
These are professionally-oriented links primarily for the use of our medical staff.

Health Related Organizations and Other Sites of Interest
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases | Practice Guidelines
American Cancer Society | Screening and Surveillance for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer and Adenomatous Polyps
American College of Gastroenterology
American Gastroenterological Association
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons | ASCRS Library of Patient Education Brochures

ARUP Laboratories | ARUP Consult Algorithms | ARUP Consult Disease Categories

American Liver Foundation
CA – A Cancer Journal for Clinicians
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  |  CDC – Overweight and Obesity
Center for Improving Value in Health Care
FDA:  U.S. Food and Drug Administration | MedWatch
eMedicine
Mayo Clinic Scottsdale (Arizona) | Mayo Clinic Rochester (Minnesota) | Mayo Medical Laboratories | Mayo Test Algorithms

Medicare Fee Schedule
Myriad Hereditary Cancer Testing
National Cancer Institute | National Guideline Clearinghouse

Prometheus Labs | Test Requisition
Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates

UpToDate

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

Clinical Guidelines and Resources
Guidelines are intended to be an educational device to provide information that may assist us in providing care to patients. Guidelines are not rules and should not be construed as establishing a legal standard of care or as encouraging, advocating, requiring, or discouraging any particular treatment. Clinical decisions in any particular case involve a complex analysis of the patient’s condition and available courses of action.  Therefore, clinical considerations may lead a physician to take a course of action that varies from guidelines.

Adenoma Terminology | Summary | Anesthesia Resources | AGA Guidelines | ASA Classification | ASGE Guidelines

Coccidioides Screening Considerations
Quality Measures for Colonoscopy
Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
Hemorrhoid CRH O’Regan System

IBD Cornerstones Checklist | IBD Drug Monitoring – Digestive Health Associates | IBD Vaccination – Digestive Health Associates | IBD V Code References
Mayo Clinic Arizona – Guidelines for Prevention and Surveillance of Colorectal Cancer
NIH Consensus Conference Statement – Enhancing Use and Quality of Colorectal Cancer Screening 2010

Guidelines for Screening and Surveillance (2004)
Screening Colonoscopy Guidelines – Digestive Health Associates – 2011
Surveillance Colonoscopy Guidelines – Digestive Health Associates – 2011
2021 Screening Guideline update:  Colorectal Cancer Screening:  Recommendations for Physicians and Patients from the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colon Cancer
Sitzmark Test Protocols
Sessile Serrated Polyp/Adenoma  Stanford Surgical Pathology Criteria

Standardized Colonoscopy Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS)
STOP-Bang Sleep Apnea Screening Tool
V Code Reference