The encyclopedia of the digestive system and digestive disorders

385 Pages·2004·1.3 MB·English

by  Anil Minocha

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
AND
DIGESTIVE DISORDERS

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
AND
DIGESTIVE DISORDERS
Anil Minocha, M.D.
Christine Adamec
The Encyclopedia of the Digestive System and Digestive Disorders
Copyright © 2004 by Anil Minocha, M.D., and Christine Adamec
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval
systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact:
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Minocha, Anil.
The encyclopedia of the digestive system and digestive disorders / Anil Minocha, Christine Adamec.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-8160-4993-9 (alk. paper)
1. Gastrointestinal system—Encyclopedias. 2. Digestive organs—Encyclopedias. 3. Gastrointestinal
system—Diseases—Encyclopedias. 4. Digestive organs—Diseases—Encyclopedias.
[DNLM: 1. Digestive System—Encyclopedias. 2. Digestive System Diseases—Encyclopedias. WI 13
M666e 2004] I. Adamec, Christine A., 1949- II. Title.
RC802.M567 2004
616.3'003—dc222003021432
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Text and cover design by Cathy Rincon
Printed in the United States of America
VB FOF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Dr. Minocha would like to dedicate this book to his
loving parents, Ram S. Minocha and Kamla Devi
Minocha, and to his daughter, Geeta P. Minocha.
h
Christine Adamec would like to dedicate this book to
her husband, John Adamec, in grateful appreciation
of his continued support throughout this project.

CONTENTS
Foreword ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction and History of Digestive Diseases
and Disorders xv
Entries A–Z 1
Appendixes 253
Bibliography 321
Index 331

FOREWORD
Iam both a practicing gastroenterologist and a or by recommendation of the avoidance of ulcer-
medical school professor, as well as an author inducing medications, if the cause is an NSAID
of medical journal articles and self-help books for medication. If NSAIDs must be used, an additional
the general public, such as How to Stop Heartburn medication to protect against the ulcerogenic effect
and Natural Stomach Care.My different roles dove- can be taken along with the NSAID. We physicians
tail to provide me with a broad and current also offer newer medications with high-tech names
overview of both common and rare diseases and like proton pump inhibitorsthat decrease the level of
disorders of the digestive system. From these per- stomach acidity and give the stomach a chance to
spectives, I perceive the present as a very exciting recover from the ulcer.
time of major advances. In fact, a broad array of Even more exciting than this breakthrough in
amazing diagnostic and therapeutic break- peptic ulcer disease is the fact that medical
throughs has occurred over the course of my researchers have made dramatic advances in diag-
career, and I have also seen the development of nosing and treating cancer, which have the poten-
many exciting new techniques and treatments tial to extend the lives of patients for years.
that help patients with digestive diseases and Colorectal cancer, the second most prominent form
disorders. of cancer in the United States, can be readily
Let me illustrate with just a few examples to screened with tests, not just the fecal occult blood
show readers how far medical science has test (FOBT) or the colonoscopy, a procedure that
advanced in the field of digestive health in a rela- enables physicians to look inside the colon and
tively short period. In the not-so-distant past (in small intestine and check for disease, but also a vir-
the 1980s and the early 1990s), many physicians tual colonoscopy! Tests that are now available can
worldwide believed that peptic ulcers (painful sores check the stool for genetically altered cells that are
of the stomach and of the duodenum, which is the shed by a colonic tumor.
upper part of the small intestine) were solely Wireless endoscopy has arrived, allowing physi-
caused by severe stress and/or diets high in fatty or cians a noninvasive means to visualize regions of
spicy foods. Now doctors know that the majority of the small bowel that are not easily within the reach
ulcers are caused by bacteria called Helicobacter of standard endoscopy, thus increasing the likeli-
pylori and that most of the remaining ulcers are hood of pinpointing the causes of obscure gastroin-
caused by medications, primarily nonsteroidal anti- testinal bleeding and other digestive problems.
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that are taken for Medical science has also identified risk factors
other illnesses such as arthritis. for colorectal cancer as well as many other forms of
This knowledge has effectively enabled physi- cancer and other digestive diseases and disorders;
cians to prevent the recurrence of ulcers by treat- thus, provided with a complete medical history,
ing them with antibiotics (if the cause is bacterial) doctors know the illnesses for which they should
ix