From Greek pylorus; pyl- = gate, -orus = guard. The inferior part of the stomach.
The pylorus is the region of the stomach that connects to the duodenum. It is divided in two parts: the pyloric antrum, which connects to the body of the stomach, and the pyloric canal, which connects to the duodenum. The pyloric sphincter, or valve, is a strong ring of smooth muscle at the end of the pyloric canal and lets food pass from the stomach to the duodenum.
One medical condition associated with the pylorus is pyloric stenosis.
In such conditions as stomach cancer, when tumours may partly block the pyloric canal, a special tube can be implanted surgically to connect the stomach to the duodenum to assist food to pass from one to the other. This tube is called a "pyloric stent".
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