What it means
The ileum comes after the duodenum and jejunum and ends at the cecum. It absorbs vitamin B12 and bile salts. An ileostomy brings the end of the ileum out through the belly wall, and its output is liquid. Inflammation of the ileum is common in Crohn disease.
Remember it
IlEum, with an E, is in the Eating tract; ilIum, with an I, is in the hIp.
At a glance
| Spanish | íleon |
|---|---|
| Also written | ileal |
Easy to confuse with
ilium
The large, wing-shaped upper part of each hip bone.
Related terms
gastrointestinal
Having to do with the stomach and intestines, or with the whole digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.
enter/o
A word part that means intestine, usually the small intestine.
intestinal
Having to do with the intestines, the long tube that runs from the stomach to the anus.