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Haustrum (anatomy)

One of multiple small pouches in the colon which give it a segmented appearance

Summary

One of multiple small pouches in the colon which give it a segmented appearance

Field	Value
Name	Haustra
Latin	haustra coli
Image	Gray536.png
Caption	Arteries of cecum and vermiform process.
Image2	Stomach_colon_rectum_diagram-en.svg

The haustra (: haustrum) of the colon are the small pouches caused by sacculation (sac formation), which give the colon its segmented appearance. The teniae coli run the length of the colon. A proposed explanation for the existence of haustra is that the colon becomes sacculated between the teniae coli because the taenia coli are shorter than the colon. However, it is now more commonly accepted that the haustra form because of enteric nervous system activity.

Haustral contractions are slow segmenting, uncoordinated movements that occur approximately every 25 minutes. One haustrum distends as it fills with chyme, which stimulates muscles to contract, pushing the contents to the next haustrum. Also see peristalsis.

There is a wider distance between haustra than between the circular folds of the small intestine, and the haustra do not reach around the entire circumference of the intestine, in contrast to circular folds of the small intestine that do. These differences can assist in distinguishing the small intestine from the colon on an abdominal x-ray.

Clinical significance

Widespread loss of haustra is a sign of chronic ulcerative colitis. Localized ahaustral distended colon can be seen on abdominal x-ray during obstruction or volvulus.

Sigmoidal volvolus, more often seen in psychiatric and neurologically impaired patients (e.g. Parkinson's disease), shows lack of haustra on x-ray and points from the pelvis to the right upper quadrant just below the diaphragm.

References

(2004). "Encyclopedia of Gastroenterology".
(1992). "Colonic contour changes in chronic ulcerative colitis: Reappraisal of some old concepts". AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology.

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

large-intestine

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