An elderly male patient with stomach cancer recently had a feeding tube inserted into his alimentary
canal to bypass the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. He had his gall bladder
removed several years ago.

The Digestive Tract:

Stomach: holding sac where chemical and mechanical digestion continues on the bolus; initiates the chemical digestion of protein and fat.

Greater curvature

Lesser Curvature

Cardia

Cardiac Orifice

Fundus

Body

Pylorus

Pyloric Orifice

Pyloric Sphincter

Accessory Digestive Tract: assist in the digestion of food and produce secretions that empty into the GI Tract.

Gastrointestinal Tract: mechanical and chemical digestion, similar to the ACT, accomplishes swallowing which moves the bolus down to stomach which then turns to chyme, and finally feces.

Small Intestine: finishes chemical digestion & is responsible for absorbing most of the nutrients from food.

Duodenum

Duodenojejunal Flexure

Jejunum

Ileum

Ileocecal Valve

Vili

Lacteals

Microvili

Brush Border Enzymes

Intestinal Glands

Goblet Cells

Submucosal Glands

Segmentation

Colon: second region of the large intestine

Ascending Colon

Transverse Colon

Descending Colon

Sigmoid Colon

Basic Nutrients Needed:

Carbohydrates

Protein

Lipids

Nucleic Acid

Oral Cavity: chemical and mechanical

Pharynx: passageway of food

Esophagus: prevents reflux of materials from the stomach

Large Intestine: chemical digestion; absorbs water and electrolytes from the remaining digested material and compacts it into feces.

Rectum: stores fecal material.

Anal Canal: where poop exits.

Enzymes:

Pancreatic Amylase: initiates chemical digestion of starch.

Pancreatic Lipase: chemical digestion of triglycerides.

Pancreatic Proteases: when activated, they chemically digest proteins.

Pancreatic Trypsin & Chymotrypsin: polypeptide and peptide fragments.

Bile from the Liver & Gallbladder: mechanical digestion, neutralization of acidic chyme within the small intestine.

Salivary Amylase from Salivary Gland: chemically breaks chemical bonds between glucose molecules.

Stomach- Lingual & Gastric Lipase: chemically break down monoglycerides and fatty acids.

Brush Border Enzymes from the Small Intestine: chemically break down amino acids.

A feeding tube bypassed the mouth, throat (esophagus, pharynx, etc.)

Intrinsic Factor from Parietal Cells: absorb B12

Saliva doesn't break down parts of starch.

Teeth don't mechanically break down food.

Bolus is not formed.

Side Effects of Stomach Cancer:

Vomiting/Indegestion

Lining of the stomach is reduced.

The elderly can be more susceptible to food borne illnesses and the cancer only adds to it.

Because he is elderly, he is more sensitive to procedures like a feeding tube shoved down his throat....

Ingestion, motility, secretion, and mechanical digestion from the upper gastrointestinal and accessory digestive tract do not occur.

The food will need to be a smoothy-like substance in order for the stomach to break it down further.

Artificial enzymes will need to be added in order to break down the initial components.

A lubricant should be used to limit the amount of friction against the tube and esophagus.

Peristalsis

Gastroileal Reflex

Bloating

Possible diarrhea

The cancer can spread to other parts of the body.