Before entering fully into the meaning of the term ileum, we are going to proceed to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we have to emphasize that it is a word that derives from Greek, exactly from “eileos”, which can be translated as “intestinal” or “torsion”. A term that, in turn, emanates from the verb “eilein”, which is synonymous with “writhing”.
The sector of the small intestine that extends between the end of the jejunum and the beginning of the cecum is called the ileum.
In mammals, the intestine is a tube that belongs to the digestive system . Located next to the stomach , it is folded and houses glands in its walls that secrete intestinal juice.
The part with the smallest diameter is called the small intestine , which in turn is divided into three sections: the duodenum , the jejunum and the ileum . The duodenum is the upper section, linked to the stomach. The jejunum, meanwhile, is in the middle, while the ileum is the third portion.
When the jejunum ends, therefore, the section of the ileum begins, which ends in the cecum (the first sector of the large intestine), from which it is separated through the ileocecal valve. The large intestine , for its part, contains the colon , the rectum and the anal canal, which is the opening of the digestive system through which feces are expelled.
Specifically referring to the ileum, it contributes to the processing of nutrients through absorption, secretion and motility tasks. Many bile salts and vitamin B12, for example, are absorbed by the ileum.
In addition to everything indicated, we cannot ignore the fact that there are a series of diseases or pathologies that can strongly affect the ileum. These include obstruction of the small intestine due to a hernia, the existence of microbes or even cancer.
This type of cancer must be stated that it is rare and that its main symptoms include pain and excessive weight loss without apparent cause. Proper nutrition is one of the ways to prevent it.
It should be noted that, according to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), ileum can also be used as a synonym for ilium : the bone that, in adults, joins the pubis and the ischium in the hip for the formation of the innominate bone. .
In the same way, we must avoid confusing the ileon with the iLeón, which is a digital newspaper that, as its name indicates, reports on the city of León (Spain) and its province. It was launched in 2011 and has become a reference medium in that area due to the wide variety of news it provides not only on political matters but also economic, social, sports or cultural matters, for example.
Likewise, i-León is also the name of a business in the aforementioned Spanish city that specializes in printing.