Ileoanal

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the anatomical connection between the ileum and the anal canal, this term describes procedures or conditions involving these two parts of the digestive tract
2. This term refers to the surgical connection made between the ileum and the anus for patients undergoing specific medical procedures
3. It pertains to methods or conditions that focus on linking the ileal portion of the small intestine with the anal opening in the body

Etymology: "Ileoanal" is a plain technical coinage, built by joining two existing medical terms. Its first part, "ileo-", comes from "ileum," the final and longest section of the small intestine, whose name traces back to a Greek root meaning "twisted," a reference to its coiled loops. The second part, "anal," refers to the anus, the body's outlet at the lower end of the digestive tract. Put together, the adjective describes anything connecting these two points, most often a surgical procedure in which the lower end of the small intestine is joined directly to the anal canal so that the bowel can be reconnected after the colon or rectum has been removed. The word describes a construction rather than a historical development, so its meaning has stayed close to its literal parts.