Visceroptosis
Encyclopedia
Visceroptosis is a prolapse or a sinking of the abdominal
viscera
(internal organs) below their natural position. Any or all of the organs may be displaced downward. When the intestines are involved, the condition is known as enteroptosis; when the stomach is found below its normal position, the term gastroptosis
is used. The disease exists in all degrees of severity and may give rise to no symptoms whatsoever. Generally, however, there is loss of appetite, heartburn
, nervous dyspepsia
, constipation
, or diarrhea
, abdominal distention, headache
, vertigo
, emaciation
, and loss of sleep
. Any or all of these symptoms may be present. The condition is brought about by loss of muscular tone, particularly of the abdominal muscles, intestinal autointoxication, with relaxation of the ligament
s which hold the viscera in place. In women, tight lacing
has been held to be a frequent cause. The symptoms may be alleviated by supporting the organs with a properly applied bandage, or other similar device. Rest in bed, attention to diet, hygiene
, exercise, and general muscular upbuilding will cure the majority of cases. In others operation may become necessary. Visceroptosis is a known risk factor for the development of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome
.
Visceroptosis is also called splanchnoptosis, abdominal ptosis, and Glénard's disease, after a French
physician Frantz Glénard (1848–1920).
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
viscera
Viscus
In anatomy, a viscus is an internal organ, and viscera is the plural form. The viscera, when removed from a butchered animal, are known collectively as offal...
(internal organs) below their natural position. Any or all of the organs may be displaced downward. When the intestines are involved, the condition is known as enteroptosis; when the stomach is found below its normal position, the term gastroptosis
Gastroptosis
In medicine, gastroptosis is the abnormal downward displacement of the stomach. It is not a life threatening condition. The condition frequently causes digestive symptoms and constipation, and is much more prominent in women than men....
is used. The disease exists in all degrees of severity and may give rise to no symptoms whatsoever. Generally, however, there is loss of appetite, heartburn
Heartburn
Heartburn, also known as pyrosis or acid indigestion is a burning sensation in the chest, just behind the breastbone or in the epigastrium...
, nervous dyspepsia
Dyspepsia
Dyspepsia , also known as upset stomach or indigestion, refers to a condition of impaired digestion. It is a medical condition characterized by chronic or recurrent pain in the upper abdomen, upper abdominal fullness and feeling full earlier than expected when eating...
, constipation
Constipation
Constipation refers to bowel movements that are infrequent or hard to pass. Constipation is a common cause of painful defecation...
, or diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, abdominal distention, headache
Headache
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain because it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the...
, vertigo
Vertigo (medical)
Vertigo is a type of dizziness, where there is a feeling of motion when one is stationary. The symptoms are due to a dysfunction of the vestibular system in the inner ear...
, emaciation
Emaciation
Emaciation occurs when an organism loses substantial amounts of much needed fat and often muscle tissue, making that organism look extremely thin. The cause of emaciation is a lack of nutrients, starvation, or disease....
, and loss of sleep
Sleep
Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than...
. Any or all of these symptoms may be present. The condition is brought about by loss of muscular tone, particularly of the abdominal muscles, intestinal autointoxication, with relaxation of the ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
s which hold the viscera in place. In women, tight lacing
Tightlacing
Tightlacing is the practice of wearing a tightly-laced corset to achieve extreme modifications to the figure and posture and experience the sensations of a very tight corset. Those who practice tightlacing are called tightlacers...
has been held to be a frequent cause. The symptoms may be alleviated by supporting the organs with a properly applied bandage, or other similar device. Rest in bed, attention to diet, hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
, exercise, and general muscular upbuilding will cure the majority of cases. In others operation may become necessary. Visceroptosis is a known risk factor for the development of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome is a very rare, life-threatening gastro-vascular disorder characterized by a compression of the third portion of the duodenum by the abdominal aorta and the overlying superior mesenteric artery...
.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
physician Frantz Glénard (1848–1920).
- Glénard's test — The examiner, standing behind the patient, places his arms around the patient, so that his hands meet in front of the patient's abdomen; he squeezes and raises the viscera and then allows them to fall suddenly. If the patient feels relieved by the raising pressure and experiences distress on the release, the condition is probably one of splanchoptosis. Also called girdle test.
- Glénard's theory — The theory that abdominal ptosisProlapseProlapse literally means "to fall out of place", from the Latin prolabi meaning "to fall out". In medicine, prolapse is a condition where organs, such as the uterus, fall down or slip out of place. It is used for organs protruding through the vagina or the rectum or for the misalignment of the...
is a nutritional disease with atrophyAtrophyAtrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include mutations , poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply to the target organ, disuse or lack of exercise or disease intrinsic to the tissue itself...
and prolapse of the intestine.
- Stiller's theory — The theory that gastroptosisGastroptosisIn medicine, gastroptosis is the abnormal downward displacement of the stomach. It is not a life threatening condition. The condition frequently causes digestive symptoms and constipation, and is much more prominent in women than men....
is due to universal asthenia characterized by weakness and laxity of the viscera.