Rereading the Anatomy of Duodenum a Distinct Part of the Digestive Tract

Abstract

The duodenum is known to be a part of the small intestine that, along with the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, jejunum, ileum, cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum, and anal canal, forms the digestive “or alimentary” tract. The small intestine is commonly described as consisting of three parts: the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. In this article, we will explain the anatomy of the duodenum, focusing on its characteristics that distinguish it from the rest of the small intestine. The duodenum has a distinct anatomy that differs from the other small intestine sections in several aspects, including the reception of bile and pancreatic secretions and its location as a retroperitoneal structure. The jejunum and ileum form the coils of the small intestine that are exposed when the peritoneal cavity is opened during surgery. Therefore, it is important to distinguish the duodenum from the rest of the small intestine and consider it as an independent part of the digestive tract and not part of the small intestine, especially in medical education. This would make understanding its anatomy easier and eliminate confusion, especially for undergraduate medical students.