Module 7 – The digestive system
NHS

The large intestine

The colon is continuous but has clearly identifiable parts.

The first is the caecum, a pouch at the junction with the small intestine.

The ascending colon extends upwards from the caecum to the hepatic flexure, where it bends left to cross the abdomen as the transverse colon

The colon then bends sharply down at the splenic flexure, becoming the descending colon.

This leads to the S-shaped sigmoid colon that empties into the rectum, which serves as a temporary storage area for the faeces.