Ileocecal
Ileocecal valve
The Ileocecal valve (pronounced: il-ee-oh-SEE-kul) is an important part of the human digestive system. It is a sphincter muscle situated at the junction of the ileum (last part of the small intestine) and the cecum (first part of the large intestine). Its primary function is to prevent the contents of the large intestine from flowing back into the small intestine.
Etymology
The term "ileocecal" is derived from the names of the two connecting structures that it controls: the ileum and the cecum. The word "ileum" comes from the Greek "eilein", meaning "to twist up tightly", while "cecum" is derived from the Latin "caecus", meaning "blind", in reference to the 'blind' end of the large intestine.
Function
The ileocecal valve serves a critical role in digestion by allowing the passage of digested food materials from the ileum into the cecum while preventing the reflux back into the ileum. It also helps in maintaining the fluid and electrolyte balance in the body by controlling the rate of passage of the contents.
Related Terms
- Ileum: The third and longest portion of the small intestine, where most of the absorption of nutrients occurs.
- Cecum: The first part of the large intestine into which the ileum opens.
- Sphincter: A ring-like muscle that normally maintains constriction of a body passage or orifice and that relaxes as required by normal physiological functioning.
- Digestive system: The system by which ingested food is acted upon by physical and chemical means to provide the body with absorbable nutrients and to excrete waste products.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ileocecal
- Wikipedia's article - Ileocecal
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