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Glossary - Hemorrhoid
& Other Anorectal Conditions
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A
Abdomen - The portion of the body between
the chest and the pelvis.
Acute hemorrhoidal attack - The onset of
severe pain and swelling of external and/or prolapsed internal
hemorrhoids.
Alimentary - Pertaining to food, nutrition,
or the digestive organ.
Anal - Pertaining to the anus.
Anal fissure - A painful tear in the skin
of the anal canal. Anal
fissure usually extends from the dentate line to the anal
opening, and can expose the sphincter muscle.
Anal stenosis - The narrowing or constricting
of the anal canal.
Anal ulcer - A severe and chronic form of
anal fissure.
Anal wart - A fleshy growth or wart in the
anus or anal canal, usually spread by direct sexual contact.
Anorectal - Pertaining to the anus and rectum.
Anoscope - A medical device used to perform
visual examination of the anal canal. An anoscope is a tube
about 3-inches in length with light attached at one end.
Anoscopy - Visual examination of the anal
canal and rectum by use of an anoscope. An anoscopy is performed
to detect for anorectal polyps.
Anus - The terminal end of the digestive
system. It is the last inch or so of the rectum, composed
of two circular sphincter muscles. In its normal state, the
anus is closed tightly. During elimination of feces, the sphincter
muscles relax, and the anus opens to allow passage of stool.
B
Barium Enema - An enema using a solution
of barium sulfate solution. An X-Ray exposure is then taken.
As barium is impervious to X-Ray, it delineates any bulges
due to polyps, tumors or ulcers in the colon.
Barron ligator - An instrument used to place
rubber bands ligations on internal
hemorrhoids.
BICAP coagulation - A method of cauterizing
and removal of hemorrhoids using electricity delivered with
a Bipolar Circumactive (BICAP) probe.
Bowel - Intestine.
Bowel impaction - see Impaction, bowel.
C
Cauterize - To burn or sear with hot iron
or caustic agents to prevent spread of infection or to destroy
affected tissues.
Chronic - Persisting over a long period
of time.
Chronic hemorrhoids - Recurring hemorrhoids
whose symptoms flare up again and again over a long period
of time.
Colitis - Inflammation of the lining of
the colon.
Colon - Part of the digestive system which
primary function is to absorb water and salt from digested
food, resulting in the formation of feces. The colon also
stores and moves along the feces. It is divided into four
components: the sigmoid colon, the descending colon, the transverse
colon, and the ascending colon. Also known as the large intestine
or the large bowel.
Colon and rectal surgeon - A surgeon who specializes in surgery
and medical treatment of diseases of the colon and rectum.
Colonoscope - A medical device used to performed
colonoscopy. A colonoscope is a 75-inch long flexible tube,
with camera and a special attachment to snip off or cauterize
polyps, and to perform biopsies on the colon and rectum.
Colonoscopy - A visual examination of the
colon using a colonoscope. Colonoscopy is performed to detect
polyps or growths in the colon.
Colorectal - Pertaining to the colon and
rectum.
Constipation - Infrequent or difficult passage
of feces or stool.
Crohn's Disease - Inflammation of the digestive
organ, such as the colon or small intestine. In Crohn's Disease,
scar tissues can develop to cause intestinal blockage and
infection can cause abscesses, fistulas, fissures, and skin
tags. Crohn's Disease is also called regional ileitis.
Cryosurgery - A surgical procedure to remove
tissues with a freezing process.
CT scan - A CT (or Computed Tomography)
scan is a series of cross sectional pictures of the body.
A CT Scan is used to perform a virtual colonoscopy.
D
Dentate line - A ring of tissue fold arranged
in a zigzag or sawtooth pattern on top of the anal canal.
The dentate line separates the anus from the rectum.
Digital examination - A medical examination
process in which a doctor uses his or her fingers into the
anal canal to probe for hemorrhoids, growths or polyps.
E
Electrocautery - A process in which electricity
is used to cauterize or destroy tissues.
Endoscopy - Visual examination of any body
cavity using an endoscope.
External hemorrhoids - A hemorrhoid located
in or around the anus.
F
Fissure - see anal fissure.
Fistula - a tunnel-like
tract in the anal canal extending from an infected gland
in the canal to an external opening in the skin around the
anus.
G
Gastroenterologist - A doctor who specializes
in the diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Gastrointestinal system or tract - The
organs of the digestive and elimination systems. The gastrointestinal
tract extends from the esophagus to the anus. Also called
the GI tract.
GI tract - see Gastrointestinal system
or tract.
H
Hemorrhoid - A varicosity or swelling of
veins in the anorectal area.
Hemorrhoid bundle - A group or cluster of
hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoidectomy - A surgical
procedure to cut off hemorrhoidal tissues.
I
IBS - see Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Impaction, bowel - A condition in which
dried and hardened feces are stuck in the intestines.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease - A gastrointestinal
disorder characterized by inflammation of the affected tissues.
Two of the most common Inflammatory Bowel Diseases are ulcerative
colitis and Crohn's disease. Note: Not to be confused with
Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Infrared coagulation - The cauterization
and removal of hemorrhoids by use of infrared
light.
Internal hemorrhoids - A hemorrhoids that
occur inside of the rectum.
Intestinal transit time - The amount of
time it takes for food to move through the intestine and to
be passed as stool. Intestinal transit time is correlated
with the type of diet: fiber-rich diets have shorter transit
time than diets depleted of fibers or roughage.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome - A disorder characterized
by bouts of bloating, constipation, cramps, diarrhea, and
gas. Also known as spastic colon, nervous bowel, irritable
colon, and mucous colitis. Note: Not to be confused with Inflammatory
Bowel Disease.
Irritable colon - see Irritable Bowel
Syndrome.
L
Large bowel - see Colon.
Large intestine - see Colon.
Laser hemorrhoidectomy - The removal of
hemorrhoids by use of laser beams.
Ligation - see Rubber band ligation.
M
Mucous colitis - see Irritable Bowel
Syndrome.
N
Nervous bowel - see Irritable Bowel
Syndrome.
P
Polyp (colon) - An abnormal growth, either
with or without a stalk, found in the lining of the colon.
Polyps are either benign or can develop into colorectal cancer.
Proctologist - A doctor specializing in
the treatmetn of anorectal diseases.
Proctoscope - A 10-inch tubular device used
for the examination of the anus and rectum.
Proctoscopy - The visual examination of
the anus, rectum, and lower part of the sigmoid colon by use
of a proctoscope.
Prolapsed hemorrhoid - An internal hemorrhoid
that has distended and fallen out of the anal opening.
Pruritus - Itching.
Pruritus Ani - The formal nomenclature for
anal itching, one of the symptoms of hemorrhoids.
R
Rectum - The terminal part of the colon
that includes the anal canal. The rectum is the final storage
place for feces prior to elimination.
Regional ileitis - see Crohn's Disease.
Rubber band ligation - A method of removing
a hemorrhoid by tying it off with a
rubber band to stop the supply of blood, thereby causing
it to wither and slough off.
Ruptured hemorrhoids - An external hemorrhoids
in which a blood clot burst through the skin.
S
Sclerosant - see Sclerosing agent.
Sclerosing agent - A solution that irritates
the tissue and cause it to sclerose (or scar and harden).
Sclerotherapy - A method of removing internal
hemorrhoids by injection of
a hardening or sclerosing agent, thereby causing it to scar
and die off.
Sigmoidoscope - A 24-inch flexible tube
used in the examination of the rectum and sigmoid colon.
Sigmoidoscopy - A visual examination of
the rectum and lower parts of the colon (sigmoid colon) by
use of a sigmoidoscope.
Sitz bath - A bath of plain, warm water
to provide temporary relief of the pain and swelling of hemorrhoids.
Sitz bath can be done either in the bathtub or a special basin
placed on top of the toilet.
Skin tag - A piece of flabby skin that hangs
around the anal opening. A skin tag may be the remnant of
a thrombosed hemorrhoids or an indicator of an anal fissure
and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Small bowel - see Small intestine.
Small intestine - The first twenty feet
or so of the intestinal tract, where digestion of food and
absorption of nutrients occurs.
Spastic colon - see Irritable Bowel
Syndrome.
Sphincter muscle - A circular muscle that
opens or closes like a drawstring. In the normal state, sphincter
muscle contracts and is closed. When the muscle relaxes, it
opens.
Stool softener - A non-prescription medication
taken to soften stool. Stool softeners are often bulking agents
that absorb water to make stool moist and thereby easier to
pass.
T
Thrombosed hemorrhoid - A hard lump of an
external hemorrhoid containg a blood clot. In a thrombosed
hemorrhoid, a blood vessel under the skin ruptured and subsequently
hardened.
U
Ulcerative colitis - A form of chronic colitis
characterized by pain, ulceration in the colon, bloody diarrhea,
and weight loss. Ulcerative colitis is one of the two most
common forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
V
Valves of Houston - Folds in the rectum
where stool rests between bowel movement. When the stool becomes
heavy, the Valves of Houston presses against the rectal wall,
thus resulting in the "call of nature" signal or
urge to defecate.
Varicose veins - Swollen and distended veins
caused by weak venous walls or improperly functioning vein
valves. Varicose veins are usually located in the lower legs.
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