The esophagus is a hollow muscular tube that connects the back of the throat to the top of the stomach. At rest, the esophagus is closed but opens readily to accept food and liquids. The muscles in the upper portion of the esophagus are under voluntary control. The remaining portion consists of smooth muscle like the rest of the digestive tract and is not under voluntary control.

Here are a few of the esophageal conditions and diseases we diagnose and/or treat:

BARRETT’S ESOPHAGUS

Barrett’s Esophagus is a condition where the esophagus tries to repair itself from inflammation or ulceration due to the washback of acids.

HEARTBURN – GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE (GERD)

GERD is a chronic digestive disorder where liquid content from the stomach backs up into the esophagus. The most common symptom is heartburn.

PEPTIC STRICTURES

A peptic stricture, or esophageal stricture, is a narrowing of the esophagus resulting in difficulty swallowing, with food ‘sticking’ on its way to the stomach.

WEBS, RINGS AND DIVERTICULA

An esophageal web is a thin bit of tissue that is similar to an “o” ring of a washer. Rings are thicker and involve more of the wall of the esophagus, whereas diverticula are outpocketings of one or more layers of the esophageal wall.

ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

The two primary types of cancer in the esophagus are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma.