Month: October 2007

‘Smoking is Prime Cause of Cot Death’

Post author By Mukul
Post date October 16, 2007
No Comments on ‘Smoking is Prime Cause of Cot Death’

LONDON: A new study has identified that smoking during pregnancy is the key factor behind the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot deaths.

A study by the Bristol University’s Institute of Child Life and Health says that nine out of ten mothers whose babies died of SIDS had smoked during their pregnancy.

It also reports that women who smoke during pregnancy are four times more likely than non-smokers to see their child fall prey to cot death.

The study, co-authored by professor of the infant health and developmental physiology Peter Fleming and senior research fellow Dr Peter Blair, is based on analysis of the evidence of 21 international studies on smoking and cot death.

“What we have been trying is to look at the whole impact of exposure, both before and after birth, to smoking and its adverse effects,” says Prof Fleming.

Prof Fleming said one major concern recently was that “from the ban on smoking in public places there would be a potential increase of people smoking at home”.

He added that the report, entitled “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Parental Smoking”, calls for an “emphasis on the adverse effects of tobacco smoke exposure to infants and amongst pregnant women”.

“If smoking is a cause of SIDS, as the evidence suggests it is, we think that if all parents stopped smoking tomorrow more than 60 per cent of SIDS deaths would be prevented,” Dr Blair said.

The study, published in the medical journal Early Human Development this week, reports that anti-smoking messages have had some effect, with national statistics suggesting that smoking among pregnant mothers has fallen from 30 per cent to 20 per cent in the past 15 years.

But, the researchers also assert that the proportion of babies, who died from SIDS and were born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy, has risen from 57 per cent to 86 per cent.

This rise is put down to the success of the Back to Sleep campaign, launched in 1991, which said parents should lay their babies on their backs to sleep.

The campaign led to a reduction in SIDS babies and has virtually eliminated laying babies face down as a cause of cot deaths, thus leaving smoking as the chief cause.

“The risk of an unexpected infant death is greatly increased by both prenatal and postnatal exposure to tobacco smoke. We should aim to achieve a ‘smoke-free zone’ around pregnant women and infants,” Dr Blair said.

“Reduction of prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke, by reducing smoking in pregnancy, and of postnatal exposure to tobacco, by not allowing smoking in the home, will substantially reduce the risk of SIDS,” he added.

Source: The Times Of India

Ailmemts & Remedies

Corns and Calluses

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Synonyms and Keywords:Corns and Calluses, Tyloma,Heloma, Clavus, Sore Toe, Knot

CLICK TO SEE ……>…….(1).……….(2)..…

Definition:
A callus (tyloma) is an area of skin that thickens after exposure to repetitive forces in order to protect the skin. A callus may not be painful. When it becomes painful, treatment is required.

When a callus develops a mass of dead cells in its center, it becomes a corn (heloma). Corns generally occur on the toes and balls of the feet. Calluses occur on the feet, hands, and any other part of the skin where friction is present.

Causes:

Factors outside the body that can cause calluses and corns from friction and stress
- Ill-fitting shoes or socks
- Bunching of socks or socks with seams by the toes
- Manual labor
- Not wearing shoes
- Activities that increase stress applied to the skin of the hands and feet, such as athletic events
Factors within the body that may lead to the formation of corns and calluses
- Bony prominences
- Enlarged bursa or faulty foot function and structure

Symptoms:

Calluses :-
- Thickening of skin without distinct borders
- Most commonly on feet and hands over bony spots
- Vary in color from white to gray-yellow, brown, or red
- May be painless or tender
- May throb or burn
Corns :-
- Texture varies from dry, waxy, transparent to a horny mass
- Distinct borders
- Most common on feet
- May be hard or soft
- Usually painful

When Medical Care is Needed:

If home remedies fail to eliminate the corns and calluses and they continue to be painful or bothersome, consult your doctor. Anyone with diabetes or poor circulation should seek medical attention earlier because of a higher risk for infection.

Normally, corns and calluses do not require emergency attention. These conditions, however, would need a visit to the hospitalâ€™s Emergency Department or doctor’s office:

Spreading redness around the sore

Puslike drainage from or around the sore

Increasing pain and swelling

Fever

Change in color of fingers or toes

Signs of gangrene (tissue decay)

Exams and Tests:

Diagnosis is almost always made by looking at the corn or callus. A biopsy with microscopic evaluation can be done. The doctor also may take x-rays of your feet or hands to look at underlying bony structures that may be the cause of the corns and calluses.

Treatment:

Self-Care at Home:-

Place protective covering or bandages over the sore to decrease friction on the skin until the sore heals.

Apply moisturizing agents such as lotions to dry calluses and corns.

Rub sandpaper disks or pumice stone over hard thickened regions.

Avoid stress to hands or feet by using gloves or changing shoes or socks.

Soak feet or hands in warm soapy water to soften corns and calluses.

Modern Medical Treatment:

Antibiotics for any infected corn or callus

Removal by surgical means or with keratolytic agents (medicines that break up hardened areas of skin)

Surgically removing areas of protruding bone where corns and calluses form

Shaving or cutting off the hardened area on the skin

A common method, often done by a podiatrist, is to shave the calluses down, and perhaps pad them.

For calluses on the feet an inexpensive home remedy is to dissolve a foot soap powder composed of borax, iodine and bran in warm water and soak the feet in the solution for 15 to 20 minutes. This softens the calluses so that layers of dead skin can be rubbed away with a cloth towel. Repeated soaking over a period of several days can often allow removal of even the core with nothing more than the friction of the cloth towel. If this fails, use of a pumice stone can also remove the skin.

Most corns and calluses located under the foot are caused by the pressure of the foot bones against the skin, preventing it from moving with the shoe or the ground. While well-fitting shoes will help some of these problems, occasionally some other degree of intervention is required to completely rid the foot of the problem. The most basic treatment is to put a friction-reducing insole or material into the shoe, or against the foot. In some cases, this will reduce the painfulness without actually making the callus go away.

In many situations, a change in the function of the foot by use of an orthotic device is required. This reduces friction and pressure, allowing the skin to rest and to stop forming protective skin coverings.

Salicylic acid (0.5%-40%) can be used for two reasons, “(1) it decreases keratinocyte adhesion, and it increases water binding which leads to hydration of the keratin.”

Using a knife to cut it away is dangerous because it can result in bleeding of the foot and infection.

At other times, surgical correction of the pressure is needed.

Next Steps:

Follow-up:-

Follow-up is needed for ongoing corns and calluses that don’t go away with treatment as well as for signs of infection or severe pain.

Prevention:

Wear gloves to protect hands.

Make sure shoes and socks fit properly and do not rub.

Wear felt pads over bony points where there is increased friction to the skin.

Surgically correct bony abnormalities.

Keep hands and feet moisturized.

Generally speaking, corns are a disease of civilization. If we didn’t wear shoes, we wouldn’t have them. Potential preventive measures therefore include:

Moving to Tahiti to stroll on the sand in your bare tootsies! This is a pleasant approach, as long as you never have to go back home and walk in shoes again.
For the incurably civilized, wearing comfortable shoes is useful. The idea is to avoid having footgear press on the outside of the 5th toe, or pressing the 4th and 5th toes together.
Another approach is to pad the potentially affected area. You can buy many sorts of padding at the drugstore:
Cushions to put between the toes;
Foam or moleskin pads to put over the places where corns form;
Foam pads with holes in the center (like doughnuts or bagels), which redistribute pressure around the corn instead of right over it; and
Cushioned insoles to pad your feet and alleviate mechanical pressure.

Herbal Foot Care Tips

Ayurvedic Foot Care

Corns Home Remedies

Outlook:

Once the corns and calluses are eliminated, a complete cure is possible if the factors causing them have been eliminated.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose.

Resources:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/corns_and_calluses/article_em.htm
http://www.medicinenet.com/corns/article.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callus

Tags Barefoot, Callus, Calluses, Health, Podiatry, Shoe, Soak, Surgery

Positive thinking

Interfering

Lessons Of Reflection
When we care about people, we want to save them from pain by offering them the benefit of our experience. Sometimes we feel like we know what is best for them. Sometimes, like when their safety is involved, we need to step in, but those times are rare. More often we find ourselves becoming frustrated when our close friends or family members do not use our relationship insights or follow our dietary advice, and this is where we find our challenge. We may even find ourselves becoming angry when they choose another path. This strength of feeling is usually a sign that our motivations go beyond merely helping another to indicate that there is a lesson there for us.

First, we need to keep in mind that each of us is on our own path and that we all learn differently. When we trust the universe, we know that there is a higher power at work that knows what is best for our loved one. Since we do not want to deny them experiences of deep feeling that are essential steps in the growth of their spirit, we can instead offer them our counsel. After we have given our gift, it is time to release it, along with our expectations of them and their choices, with love.

Once that is done, we can remind ourselves that our relationships are mirrors that allow us to see ourselves more clearly in the reflection. That is why it is easier for us to see solutions to other peopleâ€™s problems than to see answers for our own. We can also learn from these experiences when we ask ourselves if we ever do the same thing. Maybe we do not share experiences with relationships, but we do with our finances or our food choices. In being willing to look at ourselves and see why we are being irritated by what other people choose to do with their lives, we can be like an oyster and make irritations into pearls. With these pearls of wisdom, we learn to release the desire for control over others and instead enrich their lives as we enrich our own.

Source:Daily Om

Positive thinking

The Truths Within

Value Your Own Wisdom
Throughout our lives, we will encounter individuals who presume to know what is best for us. The insights they offer cannot compare, however, with the powers of awareness and discernment that already exist within us. From birth we are blessed with wisdom that cannot be learned or unlearned. It exists whether or not we acknowledge it because it is a gift given to us by a loving universe before we chose to experience existence on the earthly plane. Yet for all its permanence, it is vital that we value and honor this incredible element of the self. It is when we do not use our inborn wisdom that we begin to doubt our personal truths and are driven to outside sources of information because we are afraid. What we know to be true in our hearts is invariably true, and we discover how intensely beautiful and useful self-trust can be when we recognize the power of our wisdom.

Inner wisdom is not subject to the influences of the outside world, which means that it will never demand that we surrender our free will or counsel us to act in opposition to our values. We benefit from this inspiration when we open ourselves to it, letting go of the false notion that we are less qualified than others to determine our fate. The wisdom inside of us is the source of our discernment and our ability to identify blessings in disguise. When we are unsure of who to trust, how to respond, or what we require, the answers lie in our inner wisdom. It knows where we are going and understands where we are coming from, taking this into account though it is not a product of experience but rather a piece of our connection to the universal mind.

In the whole of your existence, no force you will ever encounter will contribute as much to your ability to do what you need to do and be who you want to be as your natural wisdom. Through it, you reveal your growing consciousness to the greater source and discover the true extent of your strength. If you heed this wisdom with conviction and confidence, the patterns, people, and fears that held you back will be dismantled, paving the way for you to fulfill your truest potential.

Source:Daily Om

Ailmemts & Remedies

Anatomic Problems of the Colon

Post author By Mukul
Post date October 15, 2007
No Comments on Anatomic Problems of the Colon

The colon, or large intestine, is part of the digestive system, which is a series of organs from the mouth to the anus. When the shape of the colon or the way it connects to other organs is abnormal, digestive problems result. Some of these anatomic problems can occur during embryonic development of the fetus in the womb and are known as congenital abnormalities. Other problems develop with age.

Colon Anatomy and Development…click & see the pictures

The adult colon is about 5 feet long. It connects to the small bowel, which is also known as the small intestine. The major functions of the colon are to absorb water and salts from partially digested food that enters from the small bowel and then send waste out of the body through the anus. What remains after absorption is stool, which passes from the colon into the rectum and out through the anus when a person has a bowel movement.

The colon comprises several segments:

the cecum, the portion just after the small bowel
the ascending colon
the transverse colon
the descending colon
the sigmoid colon, an S-shaped portion near the end of the colon
the rectum, where stool is stored until evacuation

The colon is formed during the first 3 months of embryonic development. As the bowel lengthens, part of it passes into the umbilical cord, which connects the fetus to the mother. As the fetus grows and the abdominal cavity enlarges, the bowel returns to the abdomen and turns, or rotates, counterclockwise to its final position. The small bowel and colon are held in position by tissue known as the mesentery. The ascending colon and descending colon are fixed in place in the abdominal cavity. The cecum, transverse colon, and sigmoid colon are suspended from the back of the abdominal wall by the mesentery.
Anatomic Problems of the Colon:-

Malrotation and Volvulus....click & see

If the bowel does not rotate completely during embryonic development, problems can occur. This condition is called malrotation. Normally, the cecum is located in the lower right part of the abdomen. If the cecum is not positioned correctly, the bands of thin tissue that normally hold it in place may cross over and block part of the small bowel.

Also, if the small bowel and colon have not rotated properly, the mesentery may be only narrowly attached to the back of the abdominal cavity. This narrow attachment can lead to a mobile or floppy bowel that is prone to twisting, a disorder called volvulus. (See the section on volvulus.)

Malrotation is also associated with other gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, including Hirschsprung’s disease and bowel atresia.

Malrotation is usually identified in infants. About 60 percent of these cases are found in the first month of life. Malrotation affects both boys and girls, although boys are more often diagnosed in infancy.
The colon is held in place by the mesentery
In malrotation, the cecum is not positioned correctly. The tissue that normally holds it in place may cross over and block part of the small bowel.

In infants, the main symptom of malrotation is vomiting bile. Bile is a greenish-yellow digestive fluid made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Symptoms of malrotation with volvulus in older children include vomiting (but not necessarily vomiting bile), abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloody stools, rectal bleeding, or failure to thrive

Various imaging studies are used to diagnose malrotation:...click & see

x rays to determine whether there is a blockage. In malrotation, abdominal x rays commonly show that air, which normally passes through the entire digestive tract, has become trapped. The trapped air creates an enlarged, air-filled stomach and upper small bowel, with little or no air in the rest of the small bowel or the colon.
upper GI series to locate the point of intestinal obstruction. With this test, the patient swallows barium to coat the stomach and small bowel before x rays are taken. Barium makes the organs visible on x ray and indicates the point of the obstruction. This test cannot be done if the patient is vomiting.
lower GI series to determine the position of the colon. For this test, a barium enema is given while x rays are taken. The barium makes the colon visible so the position of the cecum can be determined.
computed tomography (CT) scan to help determine and locate the intestinal obstruction.

Malrotation in infants is a medical emergency that usually requires immediate surgery. Surgery may involve

Surgery to relieve the blockage of the small bowel is usually successful and allows the digestive system to function normally.

Small Bowel and Colonic Intussusception

Intussusception is a condition in which one section of the bowel tunnels into an adjoining section, like a collapsible telescope. Intussusception can occur in the colon, the small bowel, or between the small bowel and colon. The result is a blocked small bowel or colon.

Intussusception is rare in adults. Causes include

benign or malignant growths
adhesions (scarlike tissue)
surgical scars in the small bowel or colon
motility disorders (problems with the movement of food through the digestive tract)
long-term diarrhea

Some cases of intussusception have been associated with viral infections and in patients living with AIDS. It can also occur without any known cause (idiopathic).

In infants and children, intussusception involving the small bowel alone, or the small bowel and the colon, is one of the most common causes of intestinal obstruction. Malrotation is a risk factor. Intussusception affects boys more often than girls, with most cases happening at 5 months and at 3 years of age. Most cases in children have no known cause, but viral infections or a growth in the small bowel or colon may trigger the condition. In the past, cases of intussusception appeared to be associated with a childhood vaccine for rotavirus, a common cause of gastroenteritis (intestinal infection). That vaccine is no longer given.

In adults with intussusception, symptoms can last a long time (chronic symptoms) or they can come and go (intermittent symptoms). The symptoms will depend on the location of the intussusception. They may include

changes in bowel habits
urgencyâ€”needing to have a bowel movement immediately
rectal bleeding
chronic or intermittent crampy abdominal pain
pain in a specific area of the abdomen
abdominal distention
nausea and vomiting

Children with intussusception may experience

intermittent abdominal pain
bowel movements that are mixed with blood and mucus
abdominal distention or a lump in the abdomen
vomiting bile
diarrhea
fever
dehydration
lethargy
shock (low blood pressure, increased heart rate requiring immediate attention)

If intussusception is not diagnosed promptly, especially in children, it can cause serious damage to the portion of the bowel that is unable to get its normal blood supply. A range of diagnostic tests may be required. X rays of the abdomen may suggest a bowel obstruction (blockage). Upper and lower GI series will locate the intussusception and show the telescoping. CT scans can also help with the diagnosis. When intussusception is suspected, an air or barium enema can often help correct the problem by pushing the telescoped section of bowel into its proper position.

Both adults and children may require surgery to straighten or remove the involved section of bowel. The outcome of this surgery depends on the stage of the intussusception at diagnosis and the underlying cause. With early treatment, the outcome is generally excellent. In some cases, usually in children, intussusception may be temporary and reverse on its own. If no underlying cause is found in these cases, no specific treatment is required.

Fistulas….click & see

A fistula is an abnormal passageway between two areas of the digestive tract. An internal fistula occurs between two areas of intestine or an area of intestine and another organ. An external fistula occurs between the intestine and the outside of the body. Both internal and external fistulas may be characterized by abdominal pain and swelling. External fistulas may discharge pus or intestinal contents. Internal fistulas can be associated with diarrhea.

The most common types of fistulas develop around the anus, colon, and small bowel. These types are

ileosigmoid occurs between the sigmoid colon and the end of the small bowel, which is also called the ileum....click & see
ileocecal occurs between the ileum and cecum…...click & see
anorectal occurs between the anal canal and the skin around the anus....click & see
anovaginal occurs between the rectum and vagina...click & see
colovesical occurs between the colon and bladder…....click & see
cutaneous occurs between the colon or small bowel and the outside of the body….click & see

Fistulas can occur at any age. Some fistulas are congenital, which means they occur during the development of a baby. They are seen in infants and are more common in boys. Other fistulas develop suddenly due to diseases or after trauma, surgery, or local infection. A fistula can form when diseased or damaged tissue comes into contact with other damaged or nondamaged tissue, as seen in Crohn’s disease (intestinal inflammation) and diverticulitis. Childbirth can lead to fistulas between the rectum and vagina in women.

External fistulas are found during a physical examination. Internal fistulas can be seen by colonoscopy, upper and lower GI series, or CT scan.

Fistulas may be treated by surgery to remove the portion of the intestine causing the fistula, along with antibiotics to treat any associated infection.

Colonic Atresia

Colonic atresia is a condition that occurs during embryonic development in which the normal tubular shape of the colon in the fetus is unexpectedly closed. This congenital abnormality may be caused by incomplete development of the colon or the loss of blood flow during its development. Colonic atresia is rare and may occur with the more common small bowel atresia.

Infants with colonic atresia have no bowel movements, increasing abdominal distention, and vomiting. X rays will show a dilated colon above the obstruction, which can then be located using a barium enema.

Surgery is necessary to open or remove the closed area and re-connect the normal sections of the colon.

Volvulus

Volvulus refers to the twisting of a portion of the intestine around itself or a stalk of mesentery tissue to cause an obstruction. Volvulus occurs most frequently in the colon, although the stomach and small bowel can also twist. The part of the digestive system above the volvulus continues to function and may swell as it fills with digested food, fluid, and gas. A condition called strangulation develops if the mesentery of the bowel is twisted so tightly that blood flow is cut off and the tissue dies. This condition is called gangrene. Volvulus is a surgical emergency because gangrene can develop quickly, cause a hole in the wall of the bowel (perforation), and become life-threatening.

In the colon, volvulus most often involves the cecum and sigmoid segment. Sigmoid volvulus is more common than cecal volvulus.

Sigmoid Volvulus
The sigmoid is the last section of the colon. Two anatomic differences can increase the risk of sigmoid volvulus. One is an elongated or movable sigmoid colon that is unattached to the left sidewall of the abdomen. Another is a narrow mesentery that allows twisting at its base. Sigmoid volvulus, however, can occur even without an anatomic abnormality.

Risk factors that can make a person more likely to have sigmoid volvulus are Hirschsprung’s disease, intestinal pseudo-obstructions, and megacolon (an enlarged colon). Adults, children, and infants can all have sigmoid volvulus. It is more common in men than in women, possibly because men have longer sigmoid colons. It is also more common in people over age 60, in African Americans, and in institutionalized individuals who are on medications for psychiatric disorders. In addition, children with malrotation are more likely to get sigmoid volvulus.

The symptoms can be acute (occur suddenly) and severe. They include a bowel obstruction (commonly seen in infants), nausea, vomiting, bloody stools, abdominal pain, constipation, and shock. Other symptoms can develop more slowly but increase over time, such as severe constipation, lack of passing gas, crampy abdominal pain, and abdominal distention. A doctor may also hear increased or decreased bowel sounds.

Several tests are used to diagnose sigmoid volvulus. X rays show a dilated colon above the volvulus. Upper and lower GI series help locate the point of obstruction and show whether malrotation of the rest of the colon is present. A CT scan may be used to show the degree of twisting and malrotation, and whether perforation has occurred.

In most instances, a sigmoidoscope, a tube used to look into the sigmoid colon and rectum, can be used to reach the site, untwist the colon, and release the obstruction. However, if the colon is found to be twisted very tightly or is twisted so tightly that blood flow is cut off and the tissue is dead, immediate surgery will be needed to correct the problem and, if possible, restore the blood supply. Dead tissue will be removed during surgery, and a portion of the colon may be removed as wellâ€”a procedure called a resection. Sigmoid volvulus can recur after untwisting with the sigmoidoscope, but resection eliminates the chance of recurrence. Prompt diagnosis of sigmoid volvulus and appropriate treatment generally lead to a good outcome.

Cecal Volvulus

Cecal volvulus is the twisting of the cecum and ascending segment of the colon. Normally, the cecum and ascending colon are fixed to the internal abdominal wall. If not, they can move and become twisted. The main symptoms of cecal volvulus are crampy abdominal pain and swelling that are sometimes associated with nausea and vomiting.

In testing, x rays will show the cecum out of its normal place and inflated with trapped air. The appendix may be filled with gas, but little or no gas is seen in other parts of the colon. Upper and lower GI series will locate the volvulus and the position of the colon. A CT scan may show how tightly the volvulus is twisted. A colonoscopy, which uses a small, flexible tube with a light and a lens on the end to see the inside of the colon, can sometimes be used to untwist the volvulus. If the cecum becomes gangrenous or holes develop in it, surgery will be needed.
……..In volvulus, a portion of the intestine twists around itself.

Imperforate Anus (Anal Atresia)

Imperforate anus or anal atresia is a congenital abnormality in which the anorectal region is abnormal or incompletely developed. In some cases, the rectum may end and not connect with the anus, or it may connect in the wrong spot. For example, it may connect to the urethra, bladder, or vagina. (See the section on fistulas). In other cases, the anus may be very narrow or missing altogether. The result is that stool cannot pass out of the colon. Imperforate anus occurs in about 1 in 5,000 infants.

Another malformation that results in absence of a functioning anus is congenital cloaca. In patients with this abnormality, the anal muscles and vagina fail to form and the result is a large, ill-defined opening that represents the rectum as well as the vagina and bladder, depending on the extent of the defect. Cloaca deformity of the anus usually requires a colostomy but may be correctable with a surgical procedure that transfers a muscle from another part of the body to create a functioning sphincter at the anus.

Symptoms of imperforate anus include

no bowel movement within 24 to 48 hours after birth
a missing or misplaced anal opening
stool that comes out of the vagina or urethra
abdominal swelling (distention)

Imperforate anus is usually found when the infant is first examined after birth. Imperforate anus is categorized on the basis of the location of the end of the rectum in relation to the muscles that support the rectum and other organs in the pelvis, called the levator ani muscles. These location categories are

high: the rectum ends above the muscles
intermediate: the rectum ends at the level of the muscles
low: the rectum ends below the muscles

In all cases of imperforate anus, surgery is necessary to reconstruct the anus. Low imperforate anus is corrected through a minor procedure just after birth. High imperforate anus may require surgery to separate the rectum from the other organs if the rectum is connected with them. The outcome is usually very good, but some infants may not develop good bowel control after surgery because the anal muscles may not form. A child with high imperforate anus often has other GI problems, such as malrotation and intestinal atresia

Factors that affect the outcome of treatment include the location of the abnormality, the patient’s sex, and the age at which the surgery is done. Surgery to correct low imperforate anus in boys usually has an excellent outcome. Correcting cloaca in girls requires a more difficult procedure and is more prone to complications.

Hope Through Research

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, through its Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, supports basic and clinical research into GI diseases, including GI structure; the growth of GI cells in normal and disease states; tissue injury, repair, and regeneration; and Crohn’s disease. Research includes new methods that will help physicians and researchers see inside the body, thereby increasing the detection rate for anatomic problems of the colon.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:
1.Anatomic problems of the colon are caused by changes in the shape of the colon or the way it connects to other organs.

2.Anatomic problems may be congenital or develop with age.

3.Anatomic problems can block the passage of food through the digestive system. Some problems can become life-threatening.

4.Symptoms of anatomic problems include abdominal pain, abdominal distension, vomiting, and diarrhea or constipation.

5.Some anatomic problems may resolve over time; others may need to be corrected with surgery.

For More Information

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)
386 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10016â€“8804
Phone: 1â€“800â€“932â€“2423 or 212â€“685â€“3440
Fax: 212â€“779â€“4098
Email: info@ccfa.org
Internet: www.ccfa.org

International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD)
P.O. Box 170864
Milwaukee, WI 53217â€“8076
Phone: 1â€“888â€“964â€“2001 or 414â€“964â€“1799
Fax: 414â€“964â€“7176
Email: iffgd@iffgd.org
Internet: www.iffgd.org

Source:http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/anatomiccolon/index.htm#Volvulus