The esophagus, sometimes called the gullet, connects the mouth to the stomach. It delivers the saliva-mixed food from the mouth to the stomach and serves as an air lock between the outside world and the digestive tract. The importance of the esophagus' ability to separate the mouth and stomach can be seen in the condition known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), in which the esophageal barrier is not effective, so the acid contents of the stomach can escape into the esophagus.

The esophagus is a muscular tube connecting the oral cavity to the stomach. It is made up of muscle tissue of various types, and actively propels food to the stomach when functioning properly. It is about 10 inches (25cm) in length and lies in the chest cavity between the trachea (windpipe) and spinal column. See similar questions...

I recently heard about a procedure to treat heartburn that is performed through the endoscope, without surgery. Is there a good chance that I can come off of my heartburn medication if I have it? There are now several FDA approved procedures aimed at controlling heartburn that can be performed through the endoscope. The short-term studies looked promising, but the long-term outcome is unknown. See similar questions...

I have recently been diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus. How often should I have an upper endoscopy with biopsy (endoscopic biopsy surveillance)? The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) guidelines for the management of Barrett's esophagus suggest that the frequency of patient endoscopies should be based on the histologic readings of their biopsies (tissue analysis under the microscope). See similar questions...

I have been diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus but I feel fine. Why do I need endoscopy with biopsy if I don't have any symptoms of cancer? You need periodic endoscopic biopsy surveillance of your Barrett's esophagus in order to catch the cancer early, if it develops, before you have symptoms. Cancer diagnosed early, when it is very small, too small to cause symptoms, has a high likelihood of a cure with surgery. See similar questions...

Is there anything that I can do to prevent cancer from developing in my Barrett's esophagus? There is no proven way to completely eliminate the risk of developing cancer in Barrett's esophagus. Heartburn medications as well as anti-reflux surgery control heartburn symptoms but are not proven to make Barrett's esophagus completely disappear or prevent cancer from developing in Barrett's esophagus. See similar questions...

No. Barrett's is not cancer. In simple terms, Barrett's is a reaction to longstanding esophagus damage caused by corrosive stomach acid backsplashing upward. After many years of heartburn, the cells in the lower esophagus begin to transform into a different type of cell which resembles the intestines below. In a small percentage of patients, the cells go on to form so-called low grade dysplasia, or early pre-cancerous changes. See similar questions...

Barrett's esophagus occurs in approximately 10 to 20 percent of patients with GERD. It is believed that prolonged exposure of the esophagus to acid reflux causes dramatic structural damage to the inner esophageal lining, or epithelium. It also can lead to the development of ulcers, or, potentially, cancer. New research indicates that esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma) associated with Barrett's esophagus is on the rise. A test called an endoscopy is a valuable tool in early detection. See similar questions...

Threshold current for successful "capture" varies with the distance between the esophageal electrodes and atrial myocardium (typically 5-12 mm). Optimal depth of catheter insertion can be estimated with a formula based upon patient's height or by maximizing the P-wave of the esophageal ECG. (See Positioning Electrodes) . See similar questions...

The threshold current for atrial pacing varies with positioning of esophageal electrodes and patient body size. With proper positioning (above), atrial pacing is achieved with currents between 5-25 mA (Roth et al, Atlee et al, Benson et al, Buchanan et al). See similar questions...

The normal esophagus (swallowing tube) is lined by a pinkish-white tissue called squamous epithelium. Some people also have red stomach tissue (normal columnar epithelium) present in the bottom part of the esophagus. Barrett's esophagus is a condition in which the normal squamous epithelium of the esophagus has been replaced by an abnormal red columnar epithelium called specialized intestinal metaplasia. See similar questions...

There are no cases published in the medical literature or reported to CardioCommand, Inc. of esophageal injury associated with transesophageal atrial pacing. Nevertheless, it is advisable that patients not be paced for greater than 1 hour. CardioCommand Transesophageal Cardiac Stimulators are voltage limited at 80V, which restricts output energy to a maximum of .032 Joules/pulse. See similar questions...

Cancer of the esophagus is fairly common in some parts of the world. But in the United States, this disease accounts for only about 1 percent of all cancers. The exact causes of cancer of the esophagus are not known. Researchers are trying to solve this problem. The more they can find out about what causes this disease, the better the chance of finding ways to prevent it. Studies in the United States show that esophageal cancer is found mainly in people over age 55. See similar questions...

Very small tumors in the esophagus usually do not cause symptoms. As the tumor grows, the most common symptom is difficulty in swallowing. The person may have a feeling of fullness, pressure, or burning as food goes down the esophagus. Also, it may feel as if food gets stuck behind the breastbone. Problems with swallowing may come and go. At first, they may be noticed mainly when the person eats meat, bread, or coarse foods, such as raw vegetables. See similar questions...

To find the cause of any of these symptoms, the doctor asks about the patient's personal and family medical history and does a complete physical exam. In addition to checking general signs of health, the doctor usually orders x-rays and other tests. esophagram (also called a barium swallow) is a series of x-rays of the esophagus. To prepare for this test, the patient drinks a barium solution. The barium, which shows up on x-rays, coats the inside of the esophagus. See similar questions...