Is the cecum the appendix?

The human body has organs such as the large intestine, small intestine, cecum, and appendix. Since the cecum and appendix are very similar, many people mistakenly believe that they are the same organ. This is a wrong view. The cecum is connected to the large intestine, and the appendix is ​​at the end of the cecum. They belong to different places, and the functions of the cecum and appendix are also different. Nutrients must first be absorbed by the cecum and then reabsorbed by the appendix before they can be excreted from the body. Let me explain it in detail below.

1. Cooperation and division of labor between the cecum and appendix:

1. The function of the lining of the large intestine is to absorb various nutrients and then transfer them to the colon bag. The function of the colon bag is to process and separate various chemical components. The chemical components that are beneficial to the human body are delivered to the intestinal fat follicles for human use. Chemical components that are harmful to the human body are handed over to the colon. The colon then transports the "waste" to the appendix. The appendix distills, filters, and sterilizes the waste materials it receives, processes them into gas, and delivers it to the appendix mesosome. The waste gas in the mesangium is then discharged from the body along with the oxygen in the retina. At the same time, a small amount of liquid will be produced during the processing of waste. This fluid then flows back into the cecum and is reabsorbed and used by the large intestine. Therefore, the appendix is ​​always empty.

2. The cecum is the beginning of the large intestine connected to the small intestine. It looks like a blind sac and is medically called the cecum. It is only 6 to 8 cm long and allows food residues that have been digested and absorbed in the small intestine to enter the large intestine without refluxing. It also has the function of controlling the rapid entry of chyme into the large intestine. The appendix is ​​on the inside of the cecum. It is thin and long, like an earthworm, and is 7 to 9 cm long. It is a degenerate accessory organ with no physiological function and is a redundant intestine. Some surgeons now use it to repair the urethra. From this we can see that the cecum and appendix are two sections of intestine. Some people describe surgery for appendicitis as surgery for appendicitis, which is obviously wrong. True appendicitis is an inflammation of the front end of the large intestine and should not be confused with appendicitis. Speaking of the appendix, it is still a functional organ. It has the functions of preventing food from flowing back, absorbing water, temporarily storing food, and excreting metabolic waste. The bacteria in the cecum also produce vitamin B complex, vitamin K, etc. that the human body needs. For this reason, once the appendix becomes inflamed, it cannot be removed with one knife like the appendix.

3. The difference between appendicitis and appendicitis

Appendicitis is a common surgical disease. Most people are accustomed to calling appendicitis "appendicitis", but in fact the two are not the same thing.

The appendix is ​​located in the abdominal cavity of the human body, near the starting point of the large intestine to the lower right of the navel, and one end is closed. The appendix is ​​hung at the end of the cecum and is connected to the cecum, so the two become neighbors who visit each other frequently.

The appendix looks like an earthworm, and its length varies from person to person. The short ones are only 2 cm long, while the long ones can reach over 20 cm. In old age, it will shrink and even be difficult to find.

The symptom of appendicitis is acute abdominal pain. The pain first occurs around the navel or in the upper abdomen, then moves to the right lower abdomen, and may be accompanied by symptoms such as fever, nausea, and vomiting. According to statistics, appendicitis ranks first among patients with acute abdominal pain.