People are frequently reminded that they are their own distinct person, and a recent study claims that the digestive tract is one area where this is especially true.
Even among a small group of persons, the gastrointestinal anatomy of a few dozen dissected corpses varied noticeably.
Some people had larger livers, while others had longer intestines and colons. There were significant differences between males and women.
According to the experts, some organs were even placed in the incorrect location.
Erin McKenney, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor of applied ecology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, said, “I almost missed one guy’s appendix because it was growing off the back of the cecum [the pouch that makes up the first part of the large intestine] instead of the front.” “I would have completely missed it if I hadn’t flipped it over and looked in the least likely spot.”
According to the researchers, these variations in anatomy have significant ramifications for both doctors and patients.
Individual human digestive systems are very different from average, the study revealed, despite the fact that surgery, medical treatments, and even lifestyle decisions like nutrition are frequently designed to best serve a “average” person.
