Cecilia Achuba HSC 105 Alterations of Digestive Function Instructor: Dr. Silva

Cecilia Achuba
HSC 105
Alterations of Digestive function
Instructor: Dr. Silva

The gastrointestinal system is made up of the gastrointestinal tube which begins at the mouth,
all the way to the anus; by the way of the esophagus, stomach, small and big intestine. The
gastrointestinal (GI) tube also called the alimentary canal, or gastrointestinal tract function in making
available to the body vital needs during the process of food digestion and, helps in getting rid of waste
at the end of the digestion process. The GI tube can be affected by various problems that will disrupt its
normal function. (Ignatavicius 2014).
Constipation and diarrhea are amongst many alterations that affect the GI tract. Constipation is
when the passing of feces is disrupted; in that feces are not frequent on a day to day basis or difficulty is
encountered during bowel movement. While Diarrhea is the passing of loose watery feces. Colonoscopy
is an endoscopic examination used to visualize the whole large intestine. It is one of many diagnostic
tools used in the investigation of GI disorders. Constipation and diarrhea can both be investigated with
a colonoscopy but there are other examinations that can significantly give a better perspective of the
condition, especially in the case of diarrhea.
In preparing the patient for colonoscopy, some doctors prescribe clear liquid diet to cleanse the
bowels before the procedure or an oral liquid preparation like goLYTELY to cleanse the bowel a day
before the procedure. In the case of constipation, where the bowel is slow in moving feces, the bowel
prep used for colonoscopy procedure can help to stimulate the intestine to increase peristalsis thereby
aiding defecation. According to, Huether and McCance, the treatment for constipation includes drinking
of fluids and other things. “ Enemas can be used to establish bowel routine”. (2012). In the case of
diarrhea, it will be best to used other diagnostic tools that are more detailed like stool studies,
abdominal imaging, endoscopy and intestinal biopsy . (Huether & McCance, 2012). In addition, the
bowel prep used in colonoscopy will subject an individual who already lost electrolytes with diarrhea, to
more dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.
Abdominal pain is an acute or chronic pain as a result of any kind of gastrointestinal problems.
The types of abdominal pain are as follows:
1. Parietal (somatic) pain is pain caused by irritation to parietal peritoneal wall. This kind of
pain is specific, easy to localize. Examples are fracture, laceration, cellulitis, arthritis
2. Visceral pain is pain from distention, stretching, ischemia or inflammation. Examples are
appendicitis, pancreatitis, hepatic
3. Referred pain is visceral pain that is felt far from an organ that is bad or have been affected
by disease. Examples are: acute cholecystitis this is felt in the right shoulder or scapula. Liver
and gallbladder pain felt in the neck or upper shoulder area.
4. 4
Two men have observed blood in their stool: One states that the blood is bright red. He other claims his
stool is black.
There are upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding that can happen, it could be bright red
bloody stools or black tarry stools. The upper GI can bleed rapidly to produce a bright red color and
bright red blood can also come from the rectum bleeding. Black stool can come from the digestion of
blood components. In addition, black stool can result from consuming dietary iron supplements,
blackberries or pepto-bismol.
Ulcerative Colitis is an inflammation of the rectum and rectosigmoid colon which results in ulceration,
formation of abscess and the cell death of the mucosa of the colon and rectum. Though the exact
etiology is unknown, the development of the disease has been linked to genetic, immunology and
environmental cases. Often found in families and twins, this supported the genetic cause. The
extraintestinal display of the illness can be linked to autoimmune dysfunction and immunologic causes.
Epithelial antibodies in immunoglobulin G (IgG) class were seen in the blood of some individuals
diagnose with ulcerative colitis. (McCance et al., 2014).
Dumping syndrome is a group of symptoms that happens about 30 minutes after eating. It is a result of
rapid emptying of food contents into the small intestine; causing a fluid shift into the tract resulting in
abdominal distention. Dumping syndrome can occur after some gastric surgeries because the contents
from the small part of the stomach left from surgery ( for example bowel resection after gastric or
bariatric surgery) empties quickly into the small intestine.
Sources
Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2017). Understanding pathophysiology (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Ignatavicius, D. D., & Workman, M. L. (2015). Medical-surgical Nursing Adaptive Learning Access Card
(8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Science Health Science.
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