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An ulcer is an open sore or excavation due to loss of tissue on the surface. A peptic ulcer is due to digestion of superficial tissue by the action of acid and digestive enzymes secreted by the stomach. A peptic ulcer may occur in the esophagus, stomach, or the upper part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Continue reading →

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, the large gland behind the stomach that secretes digestive juices into the first part of the small intestine (duodenum) and insulin into the bloodstream.

In acute pancreatitis, some of the digestive juices with their potent enzymes escape from the ducts and into the tissue of the gland itself. These enzymes cause severe, acute damage to the gland and surrounding tissues and can even lead to bleeding in the gland (hemorrhagic pancreatitis). Continue reading →

The pancreas is a large gland that lies in the upper abdomen, behind the lower part of the stomach.

It serves two major functions. One is to produce the hormones insulin and glucagon, which help regulate metabolism. The other is to produce pancreatic juice, a secretion delivered into the upper part of the small intestine (duodenum), where it aids digestion. Continue reading →

Question:

Can you explain the difference between parenteral feeding and feeding through a large vein? I am not sure of technical medical terms. One is a plastic tube directly into the stomach. The other is a semi-permanent IV in a large vein.

Answer: Continue reading →

Question:

My 40 year-old husband was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis yesterday. Two months ago, he successfully completed a stop-smoking program (after smoking for 20 years). The first symptoms of colitis appeared within a few weeks after he quit. The doctor says his condition is moderate, but has placed him on a sulfa drug and prednisone. I am concerned about the need and side effects of prednisone in his case. Are there any studies linking nicotine and ulcerative colitis where they discuss treatment options for patients who got their first symptoms after quitting smoking?

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Liver cells contain a variety of enzymes that are active in promoting the wide range of chemical and metabolic processes carried out by the liver. Normally, relatively small amounts of these enzymes can be detected in the blood.

The significance of an increase in one or more liver enzyme levels depends upon the circumstances under evaluation. For example: Continue reading →

Lactose (milk sugar) is a disaccharide, a molecule made up of two simple sugars, glucose and galactose. In order for lactose to be absorbed in the intestine, it must first be broken into the two simple sugars by the enzyme lactase. Some people suffer from a deficiency of this enzyme due either to damage to the cells lining the intestine or to genetic factors. Continue reading →

Helicobacter pylori has been identified as a causative organism in most cases of duodenal (uppermost part of small intestine) ulcer. It is also one of the causes of gastric (stomach) ulcers. There have been some reports linking the development of certain kinds of lymphomas in the stomach to H. pylori. This type of lymphoma is quite rare and whether H. pyloriindeed causes it is not established. Some recent reports indicate reversal of lymphoma-type tissue in the stomach back to normal in some patients after treatment for H. pylori. Hence, it is not clear exactly how or even if H. pylori causes gastric lymphoma.