Definition of Cecum
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Cecum: The cecum (also spelled caecum), the first portion of the large bowel, situated in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen.
The cecum receives fecal material from the small bowel (ileum) which opens into it. The appendix is attached to the cecum.
The word "cecum" comes from the Latin "caecus" meaning "blind." This refers to the fact that the bottom of the cecum is a blind pouch (a cul de sac) leading nowhere.
Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionaryhttp://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2658
Last Editorial Review: 3/26/1998 2:24:00 PM
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