Duodenumba

Duodenumba is a fictional anatomical term used in speculative biology and science fiction to describe a hypothetical outgrowth of the duodenum. It is not recognized in real-world anatomy.

The name combines duodenum, the first section of the small intestine, with a fictional suffix -ba. The term appears primarily in non-scientific sources such as science fiction literature, role-playing game materials, and fan fiction, and has no established etymology in medicine.

In fictional depictions, the duodenumba is described as a pouch- or tube-shaped extension of the proximal small intestine. Descriptions vary, but common features include a discrete lumen connected to the duodenal wall and a muscular or mucosal lining that supports specialized digestion or nutrient processing. Some portray it as a reservoir that lengthens contact between chyme and absorptive surfaces, while others present it as a fermentation chamber hosting unique microbes or symbionts. In certain works, it is tied to ecological or evolutionary traits of a species, such as enhanced caloric extraction or toxin detoxification capabilities.

Since its inception in fiction, the duodenumba has been used as a device to explain unusual digestive physiology in alien or speculative organisms. There is no evidence for its existence in real anatomy or physiology.

See also: Duodenum; Small intestine; Speculative biology.