Intestinal gas

Gas is formed in the intestines by the action of bacteria as food is being digested. Gas is also called flatus or flatulence, and is passed through the intestine and out the body through the rectum.

Review Date: 5/4/2022
Reviewed By: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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