In
biology, the
duodenum is a hollow jointed tube that connects the
stomach to the
jejunum and therefore forms part of the
gastrointestinal tract, or digestive system. It is the first part of the
small intestine, and is about 18 cm (7 in) long. It starts with the duodenal bulb and ends at the
ligament of Treitz[?]. Two very important ducts open into the duodenum, namely the
bile duct and the
pancreatic duct[?].
The duodenum is divided into three sections:
- descending duodenum
- horizontal duodenum
- ascending duodenum
The next part of the gastrointestinal tract is the jejunum.
The name duodenum is from the Latin duodenum digitorum, twelve fingers' breadths or inches.