Anatomy of the colon!

THE ANATOMY OF THE COLON!

The colon includes the following 7 aspects (sometimes 8 ) of the large intestine (see also the picture below):

• The cecum is positioned in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen inside your belly. The cecum connects the small intestine to the large intestine. The biological function of the cecum is not very specified. The word ‘cecum’ comes from the Latin ‘caecus’, meaning ‘blind’ – which refers to the fact that the bottom of the cecum is a blind pouch (a cul de sac) leading nowhere, a.k.a. the ‘appendix’.

• The ascending colon is positioned on the right side of the abdomen. The ascending colon is about 25 cm long. The ascending colon is responsible for absorbing water and salts.

• The hepatic flexure connects the ascending colon to the transverse colon. It is the longest part of the colon. The transverse colon is also responsible for absorbing water and salts.

• The descending colon is the part of the colon from the splenic flexure to the beginning of the sigmoid colon. The descending colon is the last track of the colon used for absorbing water, salts, nutrients and vitamins.

• Finally, the sigmoid colon is (usually) positioned between the descending colon and the rectum. This aspect of the colon is named after it’s S-shape. The walls of the sigmoid colon are muscular, and contract to increase the pressure inside the colon, causing the wastes to move into the rectum.

• (The redundant colon is a variation on the normal anatomy of the colon occurs when extra loops form. The presence of a redundant colon has no direct major health consequences (volvulus is rare). An indirect health consequence can be that use of a standard colonoscopy is sometimes impossible.)

* Source: Wikipedia: colon anatomy