Pyloric valve
From Free net encyclopedia
Template:Infobox Anatomy The pylorus (from Greek pylorus; pyl- = gate, -orus = guard) is the region of the stomach that connects to the duodenum. It is divided in two parts:
- the pyloric antrum, which connects to the body of the stomach.
- the pyloric canal, which connects to the duodenum.
The pyloric sphincter, or valve, is a strong ring of smooth muscle at the end of the pyloric canal and lets food pass from the stomach to the duodenum.
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Medical signficance
One medical condition associated with the pylorus is pyloric stenosis.
In such conditions as stomach cancer, when tumours may partly block the pyloric canal, a special tube can be implanted surgically to connect the stomach to the duodenum to assist food to pass from one to the other. This tube is called a pyloric stent.
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Cultural significance
- In A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole, Ignatius J. Reilly, the main character, is obsessed with his temperamental pyloric valve.
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