Esophagus

The esophagus is a long muscular tube which originates in the neck (just after the larynx), traverses the chest from top to bottom (between the lungs, behind the heart, in front of the spine), and ends in the upper part of the stomach within the abdominal cavity. Its function is to propagate ingested food (solid and liquid) as well as saliva towards the stomach.

Two disease processes involving the esophagus will be discussed here: Gastro- Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), along with hiatal hernia and esophagitis, and cancer of the esophagus.