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: 2/20/2008
Reviewed By: Christian Stone, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.