(CNN)Actress Patty Duke died Tuesday as a result of sepsis from a ruptured intestine, according to Mitchell K. Stubbs & Associates, the agency that represented her. She was 69. Sepsis is the body's overwhelming and life-threatening response to an infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Small intestine. The small intestine or small bowel is the part of the gastrointestinal tract between the stomach and the large intestine, and is where most of the end absorption of food takes place. The small intestine has three distinct regions â the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.
The intestine is the portion of the digestive tract between the stomach and the anus. It is divided into two major sections: small intestine and large intestine. The small intestine is about 6 meters (20 feet) long. It is coiled in the center of the abdominal cavity (see picture). The small intestine is divided into 3 sections: upper, jejunum, and ileum. The lining of the small intestine secretes a hormone called secretin, which stimulates the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes. The large intestine has a larger width but is only 1.5 meters (5 feet) long.