Assessment Exam 4: GI Flashcards
(208 cards)
Which layer of the GI tract is primarily responsible for secretion and absorption?
A) Serosa
B) Submucosa
C) Muscularis mucosae
D) Epithelium
Correct Answer: D) Epithelium
Rationale: The epithelium is the innermost layer of the mucosa, which is in direct contact with the contents of the GI tract. This positioning allows it to be actively involved in secretion and absorption processes.
The serosa of the GI tract is analogous to which of the following structures in the heart?
A) Endocardium
B) Myocardium
C) Pericardium
D) Epicardium
Correct Answer: C) Pericardium
Rationale: The serosa is a smooth membrane that reduces friction between the GI tract and surrounding tissues, similar to how the pericardium encloses the heart and reduces friction between the heart and surrounding structures.
What percentage of the total human body mass does the GI tract represent?
A) 2%
B) 5%
C) 10%
D) 12%
Correct Answer: B) 5%
Rationale: As stated on the slide, the GI tract constitutes approximately 5% of the total human body mass.
Which of the following is not a main function of the GI tract as listed on the slide?
A) Immune response
B) Motility
C) Excretion
D) Circulation
Correct Answer: A) Immune response
Rationale: The main functions listed for the GI tract on the slide are motility, digestion, absorption, excretion, and circulation. The immune response is not mentioned, although the GI tract does play a significant role in immunity.
The muscularis mucosae is found in which layer of the GI tract?
A) Mucosa
B) Submucosa
C) Muscularis externa
D) Serosa
Correct Answer: A) Mucosa
Rationale: The muscularis mucosae is a layer within the mucosa, the innermost layer of the GI tract wall.
A drug that inhibits the contraction of the circular muscle layer would likely result in:
A) Increased intestinal motility
B) Decreased intestinal motility
C) No change in intestinal motility
D) Increased segmentation
Correct Answer: B) Decreased intestinal motility
Rationale: The circular muscle layer’s contraction decreases the diameter of the intestinal lumen and is essential for propelling contents along the GI tract. Inhibition of this contraction would lead to decreased motility.
Which muscle layer’s activity would be most directly affected by a procedure that lengthens the intestine?
A) Longitudinal muscle layer
B) Circular muscle layer
C) Muscularis mucosae
D) Both A and B
Correct Answer: A) Longitudinal muscle layer
Rationale: The longitudinal muscle layer contracts to shorten the length of the intestinal segment. A procedure that lengthens the intestine would affect the tension and function of the longitudinal muscle layer.
In conditions that cause paralysis of the gut, such as ileus, which two muscle layers’ functions are primarily affected?
A) Mucosal layers and circular muscle layer
B) Circular muscle layer and longitudinal muscle layer
C) Muscularis mucosae and submucosa
D) Submucosa and serosa
Correct Answer: B) Circular muscle layer and longitudinal muscle layer
Rationale: Ileus is a condition involving the paralysis of the muscular layers of the GI tract responsible for motility, namely the circular and longitudinal muscle layers.
If a patient has a condition that specifically affects the ability of the intestinal tract to shorten, which of the following would be the primary muscle layer affected?
A) Circular muscle layer
B) Longitudinal muscle layer
C) Muscularis mucosae
D) Serosa
Correct Answer: B) Longitudinal muscle layer
Rationale: The longitudinal muscle layer is responsible for shortening the length of the intestinal segment, so a condition that affects this ability would primarily impact the longitudinal muscle layer.
Which of the following is not a method used to perform a celiac plexus block?
A) Transcrural
B) Intraoperative
C) Endoscopic ultrasound-guided
D) Transdermal
Correct Answer: D) Transdermal
Rationale: The methods listed for performing a celiac plexus block include transcrural, intraoperative, peritoneal lavage and endoscopic ultrasound-guided techniques. Transdermal is not mentioned as a method for celiac plexus block.
The inferior hypogastric plexus primarily innervates which sections of the GI tract?
A) Esophagus and stomach
B) Small intestine and proximal colon
C) Descending colon and distal GI tract
D) Liver and pancreas
Correct Answer: C) Descending colon and distal GI tract
Rationale: According to the slide, innervation of the descending colon and distal GI tract is provided by the inferior hypogastric plexus.
A patient with pain originating from the pancreas may benefit from a block of which nerve plexus?
A) Superior mesenteric plexus
B) Celiac plexus
C) Auerbach’s plexus
D) Inferior hypogastric plexus
Correct Answer: B) Celiac plexus
Rationale: The celiac plexus provides innervation to the upper abdominal organs, including the pancreas, up to the proximal transverse colon. Therefore, a celiac plexus block could be beneficial for managing pancreatic pain.
Which approach to celiac plexus block is typically performed during surgery?
A) Transcrural
B) Intraoperative
C) Endoscopic ultrasound-guided
D) Peritoneal lavage
Correct Answer: B) Intraoperative
Rationale: The intraoperative approach refers to interventions performed during surgery, including celiac plexus blocks.
What is the primary reason for blocking the celiac plexus?
A) To enhance gastrointestinal motility
B) To treat chronic diarrhea
C) To manage upper abdominal pain
D) To manage lower abdominal pain
Correct Answer: C) To manage upper abdominal pain
Rationale: The celiac plexus block is primarily used to manage intractable pain in the upper abdomen that may be associated with conditions like pancreatic cancer or chronic pancreatitis.
The primary role of the myenteric plexus is to:
A) Absorb nutrients
B) Secrete digestive enzymes
C) Regulate GI tract blood flow
D) Control GI tract motility
Correct Answer: D) Control GI tract motility
Rationale: The myenteric plexus lies between the smooth muscle layers of the GI tract and is primarily responsible for regulating gut motility.
Which nervous system plexus is located in the submucosa of the GI tract?
A) Auerbach’s plexus
B) Meissner’s plexus
C) Myenteric plexus
D) Inferior hypogastric plexus
Correct Answer: B) Meissner’s plexus
Rationale: Meissner’s plexus, also known as the “submucosal plexus- what is on our slide”, is located in the submucosa of the GI tract and is responsible for transmitting information from the epithelium to the enteric and central nervous systems.
The submucosal plexus primarily facilitates the communication between which two systems?
A) Muscularis and serosa
B) Epithelium and enteric nervous system
C) Enteric and somatic nervous system
D) Central and peripheral nervous systems
Correct Answer: B) Epithelium and enteric nervous system
Rationale: The submucosal plexus transmits sensory and motor information from the epithelium to the enteric nervous system, which is part of the autonomic nervous system.
Dysfunction in which of the following plexuses would most likely result in impaired gut motility?
A) Myenteric plexus
B) Submucosal plexus
C) Inferior hypogastric plexus
D) Celiac plexus
Correct Answer: A) Myenteric plexus
Rationale: Auerbach’s plexus, also known as the myenteric plexus, directly regulates the smooth muscle activity and thus is critical for proper gut motility. Dysfunction here would impair peristalsis.
If a patient has a condition that affects the communication between the GI epithelium and the central nervous system, which plexus might be involved?
A) Myenteric plexus
B) Submucosal plexus
C) Inferior hypogastric plexus
D) Superior hypogastric plexus
Correct Answer: B) Submucosal plexus
Rationale: The submucosal plexus is involved in the transmission of information from the GI epithelium to the central nervous system.
The muscularis mucosae of the mucosa primarily facilitates the movement of which structures?
A) Villi
B) Glands in submucosa
C) Lymphatic tissue
D) Mesenteric arteries
Correct Answer: A) Villi
Rationale: The muscularis mucosae is a thin layer of smooth muscle that functions to move the villi, aiding in the processes of absorption and secretion within the gut.
The lamina propria in the mucosa contains all of the following except:
A) Blood vessels
B) Nerve endings
C) muscle cells
D) Immune cells
Correct Answer: C) Muscle cells
Rationale: The lamina propria contains blood vessels, nerve endings, and immune cells. The muscularis mucosae is a separate layer of smooth muscle, not contained within the lamina propria.
In the context of the GI tract, the epithelium is not responsible for:
A) Sensing GI contents
B) Secretion of enzymes
C) Absorption of nutrients
D) Absorbing waste
Correct Answer: D) Absorbing waste
Rationale: The epithelium of the GI tract is responsible for sensing contents, secreting enzymes, absorbing nutrients, and excreting waste. It is not involved in the synthesis of blood proteins, which generally occurs in the liver.
A decrease in the function of which component of the mucosa would most likely result in impaired absorption of nutrients?
A) Smooth muscle of the muscularis mucosae
B) Lamina propria
C) Submucosal glands
D) Epithelium
Correct Answer: D) Epithelium
Rationale: The epithelium is the layer where most absorption of nutrients occurs. A decrease in its function would significantly affect the GI tract’s ability to absorb nutrients.
Which part of the GI tract’s mucosa is most directly involved in the immune response to pathogens?
A) Muscularis mucosae
B) Lamina propria
C) Submucosa
D) Epithelium
Correct Answer: B) Lamina propria
Rationale: The lamina propria contains immune and inflammatory cells and is therefore integral to the immune response in the mucosa of the GI tract.