An operation to remove all or part of the colon.

A bacterium naturally present in the large intestine that can make a toxin that causes diarrhea.

A chronic liver condition caused by scar tissue and cell damage, which makes it hard for the liver to remove poisons or toxins such as alcohol and drugs from the blood. These toxins build up in the blood and may ...

A thick liquid made of partially digested food and stomach juices. This liquid is made in the stomach and moves into the small intestine for further digestion.

Constipation caused by a disturbance of colonic or anorectal motor function of unknown cause.

End stage of chronic inflammation of the stomach, usually caused by H. pylori, resulting in reduced acid production.

Refers to disorders that last a long time, often years. Chronic is the opposite of acute, or brief.

One of the threadlike “packages” of genes and other DNA in the nucleus of a cell. Different kinds of organisms have different numbers of chromosomes. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, 46 in all: 44 autosomes and two sex chromosomes. ...

A fatlike substance in the body. The body makes and needs some cholesterol, which also comes from foods such as butter and egg yolks. Too much cholesterol may cause gallstones or a buildup of fat in the arteries that causes ...

Reduced bile flow, which may be caused by drugs or liver diseases.

The presence of gallstones in the gallbladder.

A hormone released in the small intestine that causes muscles in the gallbladder and the colon to tighten and relax.

An irritated gallbladder.

An operation to remove the gallbladder.

Irritated or infected bile ducts.