The oesophagus is part of the human digestive tract. It transports food from the pharynx to the stomach.
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Anatomy of the oesophagus
The oesophagus is an elastic muscular tube that transports food from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus is located between the pharynx and the stomach.
The human digestive tract with the oesophagus © Sebastian Kaulitzki / Fotolia
As the oesophagus is very flexible, it can reach a diameter of up to 3.5 centimetres. This enables the hollow organ to adapt to the volume of food ingested. However, three constrictions are an exception. These are the
- diaphragmatic stenosis
- aortic stenosis
- Annular cartilage stenosis
Here, insufficiently ground food or foreign bodies can block the oesophagus.
In an adult, the esophagus reaches a length of between 25 and 30 centimetres with a diameter of around two centimetres.
The oesophagus is divided into three sections. These are
The neck section
The esophagus begins behind the larynx (voice box). The neck section is the name for the area that extends to the chest cavity.
The thoracic section
The longest region of the esophagus is the thoracic section with a length of around 16 centimeters. In this region, the oesophagus is located in direct proximity to the windpipe (trachea). The esophagus continues behind the heart.
The abdominal section
The esophagus enters the abdominal cavity through an opening within the diaphragm (esophageal hiatus). There it only reaches a length of 1 to 4 centimetres. It then opens into the stomach.
The diaphragmatic opening is created by a diaphragmatic muscle loop.
Inner layer of the oesophagus
The inner layer of the oesophagus is made up of mucous membrane, a muscle layer and a thin layer of connective tissue. The esophageal glands (glandulae oesophageae) are located within the middle layer of connective tissue. They produce the oesophageal mucus that ensures the gliding properties of the hollow organ.
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Function of the oesophagus
The most important function of the oesophagus is to pass food from the pharynx to the stomach. Food transport is controlled by a reflex-like interaction of the middle layer muscles, which run longitudinally and transversely.
During swallowing, the upper oesophageal sphincter, which is a sphincter muscle, relaxes. This allows food to pass from the pharynx into the esophagus. Wavelike movements of the muscles allow food to be transported into the lower section. The second oesophageal sphincter, which is located at the lower end, opens so that the food pulp can enter the stomach.
The sphincter muscles also ensure that no foreign bodies or food particles are inhaled. In addition, the acidic contents of the stomach cannot flow back and damage the mucous membrane of the oesophagus.
Peristaltic muscle activity performs a further function. This ensures that the oesophagus is constantly cleansed.
What are the most common diseases of the oesophagus?
There are several diseases that occur in the oesophagus. These include
- reflux disease, in which gastric acid reflux occurs due to insufficient muscle closure
- achalasia, which is associated with a reduction in muscle tone in the lower oesophageal region and problems opening the sphincter muscle
- oesophageal diverticula, which are protrusions that occur to varying degrees in different sections of the oesophagus
- oesophageal spasm, which involves repeated contractions of the oesophageal smooth muscle, resulting in a drastic shortening of the oesophagus
- Oesophageal cancer, which is mainly promoted by risk factors such as tobacco consumption, a fatty and salty diet, intensive alcohol consumption and reflux disease
Other complaints and diseases:
- Bleeding from oesophageal varices
- a rupture of the oesophagus
- a narrowing of the oesophagus
- inflammation of the oesophagus
- congenital oesophageal defects
- the swallowing of foreign bodies
Symptoms of esophageal diseases
Diseases of the oesophagus often trigger the same or similar symptoms despite different causes. The most common symptoms include swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia by doctors. This causes the contents of the stomach to flow back into the oesophagus or mouth. Other typical symptoms include
- heartburn
- the feeling of having a lump in your throat
- Burning or pain in the chest
- a spasm of the oesophagus
How are esophageal diseases diagnosed?
There are various medical options available to diagnose complaints or diseases of the oesophagus.
These primarily include esophagoscopy (esophagoscopy) using a special endoscope. This procedure is ideal for detecting changes in the esophageal mucosa.
Endoscopy of the oesophagus
If endoscopy of the oesophagus does not provide sufficient information, oesophageal manometry (oesophageal pressure measurement) is usually carried out. As part of this method, the doctor measures the pressure in various sections of the oesophagus and at the entrance to the stomach using a probe. In this way, the mobility of the oesophagus and the activity of the lower oesophageal sphincter can be checked.
Another diagnostic method is long-term acid measurement, which is used to measure the pH value within the oesophagus. This examination is carried out if there is a suspicion of pathological acid reflux. The doctor inserts a pH probe equipped with a sensor and a 1.5 millimeter thin tube into the patient's nose. The probe then registers the reflux of acid towards the oesophagus for 24 hours.
