What is the small intestine?

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The small intestine is called the small intestine. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the longest part of the digestive tract, about 6 m long.

Summary

The small intestine is called the small intestine. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the longest part of the digestive tract, about 6 m long.

What it is

  • The longest part of the digestive tract, about 6 m long.
  • Divided into three parts: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
  • The chief site of nutrient absorption.

Where it is

  • Coiled in the middle of the abdomen.
  • Extends from the pylorus of the stomach to the ileocecal junction.
  • Surrounded by the frame of the large intestine.

Sources

According to Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918, public domain):

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