New human organ in digestive system discovered

Scientists have discovered what they are calling a new human organ that exists in the digestive system.

Named as mesentery, the organ was previously thought to consist of fragmented and disparate structures.

However, researchers found that it is one continuous organ and outlined evidence to classify it.

The discovery, made by researcher J. Calvin Coffey, has been published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

Researchers hope that the reclassification will aid better understanding and treatment of abdominal and digestive diseases.

A mighty membrane that twists and turns through the gut is starting the New Year with a new classification: the structure, called the mesentery, has been upgraded to an organ.

Scientists have known about the structure, which connects a person's small and large intestines to the abdominal wall and anchors them in place. By recognising the anatomy and the structure of the mesentery, scientists can now focus on learning more about how the organ functions.