BEDPAN
A RECEPTACLE FOR URINE AND FECES
BOWEL INCONTINENCE
LOSS OF VOLUNTARY ABILITY TO CONTROL FECAL AND GASEOUS DISCHARGES THROUGH THE ANAL SPHINCTER; ALSO CALLED FECAL INCONTINENCE
CARMINATIVES
AGENTS THAT PROMOTE THE PASSAGE OF FLATUS FROM THE COLON
CATHARTICS
DRUGS THAT INDUCE DEFECATION
CHYME
CONTENTS OF THE COLON
COLOSTOMY
A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT OPENING INTO THE COLON (LARGE BOWEL) TO DIVERT AND DRAIN FECAL MATERIAL
COMMODE
A PORTABLE CHAIR WITH A TOILET SEAT AND A RECEPTACLE UNDERNEATH THAT CAN BE EMPTIED; OFTEN USED FOR THE ADULT CLIENT WHO IS ABLE TO GET OUT OF BED BUT IS UNABLE TO WALK TO THE BATHROOM
CONSTIPATION
PASSAGE OF SMALL, DRY, HARD STOOL OR PASSAGE OF NO STOOL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME
DEFECATION
EXPULSION OF FECES FROM THE ANUS AND RECTUM
DIARRHEA
DEFECATION OF LIQUID FECES AND INCREASED FREQUENCY OF DEFECATION
ENEMA
USED MOST OFTEN AS A TREATMENT FOR CONSTIPATION, IT DISTENDS THE INTESTINE AND SOMETIMES IRRITATES THE INTESTINAL MUCOSA, THEREBY INCREASING PERISTALSIS AND THE EXCRETION OF FECES AND FLATUS
FECAL IMPACTION
A MASS OR COLLECTION OF HARDENED, PUTTY-LIKE FECES IN THE FOLDS OF THE RECTUM
FECAL INCONTINENCE
LOSS OF VOLUNTARY ABILITY TO CONTROL FECAL AND GASEOUS DISCHARGES THROUGH THE ANAL SPHINCTER; ALSO CALLED BOWEL INCONTINENCE
FECES
EXCRETED WASTE PRODUCTS; ALSO CALLED STOOL
FLATULENCE
THE PRESENCE OF EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF GAS IN THE STOMACH OR INTESTINES
FLATUS
GAS OR AIR NORMALLY PRESENT IN THE STOMACH OR INTESTINES
GASTROCOLIC REFLEX
INCREASED PERISTALSIS OF THE COLON AFTER FOOD HAS ENTERED THE STOMACH
GASTROSTOMY
AN OPENING THROUGH THE ABDOMINAL WALL INTO THE STOMACH
HAUSTRA
POUCHESS THAT FORM IN THE LARGE INTESTINE WHEN THE LONGITUDINAL MUSCLES ARE SHORTER THAN THE COLON
HAUSTRAL CHURNING
MOVEMENT OF THE CHYME BACK AND FORTH WITHIN THE HAUSTRA IN THE LARGE INTESTINE
HEMORROIDS
DISTENDED VEINS IN THE RECTUM
IIEOSTOMY
A COLOSTOMY THAT GENERALLY EMPTIES FROM THE DISTAL END OF THE SMALL INTESTINE
INGESTION
THE ACT OF TAKING IN FOOD OR MEDICATION
JEJUNOSTOMY
A TUBE THAT IS PLACED SURGICALLY OR BY LAPOROSCOPY THROUGH THE ABDOMINAL WALL INTO THE JEJUNUM FOR LONG-TERM NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT
LAXATIVES
MEDICATIONS THAT STIMULATE BOWEL ACTIVITY AND ASSIST FECAL ELIMINATION
MASS PERISTALSIS
INVOLVES A WAVE OF POWERFUL MUSCULAR CONTRACTION THAT MOVES OVER LARGE AREAS OF THE COLON; USUALLY OCCURS AFTER EATING
MECONIUM
THE FIRST FECAL MATERIAL PASSED BY THE NEWBORN, NORMALLY UP TO 24 HOURS AFTER BIRTH
OSTOMY
AN OPENING ON THE ABDOMINAL WALL FOR THE ELIMINATION OF FECES OR URINE
PERISTALSIS
WAVELIKE MOVEMENTS PRODUCED BY CIRCULAR AND LONGITUDINAL MUSCLE FIBERS OF THE INTESTINAL WALLS; THE MOVEMENT PROPELS THE INTESTINAL CONTENTS ONWARD
STOMA
AN OPENING CREATED IN THE ABDOMINAL WALL BY AN OSTOMY
STOOL
EXCRETED WASTE PRODUCTS; ALSO CALLED FECES
SUPPOSITORIES
SOLID, CONE SHAPED, MEDICATED SUBSTANCES INSERTED INTO THE RECTUM, VAGINA, OR URETHRA