ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The gastrointestinal system includes the alimentary tract from mouth to anus, the liver, hepatobiliary structures including the gallbladder, pancreas and the biliary and pancreatic ductal systems. Effective clinical evaluation of gastrointestinal system relies upon recognizing the pattern of symptoms and signs. This is made more challenging because these occupy a small abdominal cavity, shared with parts of genitourinary system and vascular tree, with symptoms conveyed in unmyelinated afferent C fi bres located on the walls of hollow viscera and capsules of solid organs to a relatively small area on the sensory cortex.
