The small intestine

The small intestine plays a major role in absorption of nutrients. The physiologic mechanisms underlying this are complex and delicately balanced, yet critical to health. This comprehensive treatise on physiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of small bowel disease also includes an important section on chemical and laboratory assessment. The section on disorders covers the pediatric and geriatric age groups as well as the general population and looks at inflammatory bowel disease, AIDS, tumours, motility disorders, and all the problems which can affect this important section of the GI tract.