Anatom3DIleocecal junction
Junctio ileocaecalis · Ileocékální spojení
Digestive system
Looks like
The meeting point of the ileum and the caecum in the lower right belly, with a lip-like valve; the appendix lies just below.
What it does
Controls flow from small to large bowel and limits backflow of colon bacteria.
Keeping it well
In small children the ileum can telescope into the colon here (intussusception) — episodic screaming and red jelly stools are an emergency.
Related conditions
- Acute mesenteric ischaemia (gut stroke)
- B12 & folate deficiency
- Bowel obstruction
- Coeliac disease
- Crohn's disease
- Food poisoning
- Gastroenteritis
- Giardiasis
- Intestinal worms & schistosomiasis
- Intussusception & pyloric stenosis
- Iron deficiency
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Lactose & food intolerance
- Malnutrition & refeeding syndrome
- Necrotising enterocolitis
- Neuroendocrine tumours (carcinoid)
- Radiation injury
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
- Typhoid & cholera
- Volvulus (twisted bowel)