US Medical Term · anatomy
Cecum
Ciego
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Cecum |
| Spanish (Español) | Ciego |
| Chinese (中文) | 盲腸 |
| Korean (한국어) | 맹장 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Manh tràng |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Sekom |
| Portuguese (Português) | Ceco |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ลำไส้ใหญ่ส่วนซีกัม |
| Japanese (日本語) | 盲腸 |
What it means
The cecum is a pouch-like structure in the lower right part of the abdomen that marks the beginning of the large intestine. Material from the small intestine enters the cecum through the ileocecal valve. The cecum is a short, rounded pocket from which the ascending colon — the first part of the large intestine — rises upward. The appendix is a small worm-shaped projection that hangs off the bottom of the cecum. In many languages the word for appendicitis translates literally as an illness of the cecum because the appendix grows from it. Cecal volvulus — a rare condition where the cecum twists on itself — can cause a bowel obstruction requiring emergency surgery.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
The colonoscopy goes all the way to the cecum — the very beginning of the large intestine on the right side.
La colonoscopia llega hasta el ciego, el comienzo del intestino grueso en el lado derecho.
The doctor said the polyp found in the cecum needs to be removed and checked for cancer.
El médico dijo que el pólipo encontrado en el ciego debe extirparse y verificarse si hay cáncer.
The appendix attaches right at the cecum, so that is why appendix pain usually starts on the lower right side.
El apéndice se une justo en el ciego, por eso el dolor del apéndice generalmente comienza en el lado inferior derecho.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026