Skip to main content

Esophageal Anatomy and Physiology

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Esophageal Diseases

Abstract

The esophagus can be divided into three anatomic segments: the cervical, thoracic, and abdominal esophagus. Three layers form the esophageal wall: the mucosa, the submucosa, and the muscle layer, with an inner circular and an outer longitudinal layer. The lymphatic drainage is not segmental: lymph can flow for a long distance in the plexus before crossing the muscular layer and reaching the paraesophageal lymph nodes.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Selected Reading

  1. Aggestrup S, Uddman R, Sundler F, Fahrenkrug J, Håkanson R, Sørensen HR, Hambraeus G. Lack of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide nerves in esophageal achalasia. Gastroenterology. 1983;84:924–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Akiyama H, Tsurumaru M, Kawamura T, Ono Y. Principles of surgical treatment for carcinoma of the esophagus: analysis of lymph node involvement. Ann Surg. 1981;194(4):438–46.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bonavina L, Evander A, DeMeester TR, Walther B, Cheng SC, Palazzo L, Concannon JL. Length of the distal esophageal sphincter and competency of the cardia. Am J Surg. 1986;151(1):25–34.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Collard JM, Lengele B, Otte JB, Kestens PJ. En bloc and standard esophagectomies by thoracoscopy. Ann Thorac Surg. 1993;56(3):675–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Cuschieri A. Endoscopic vagotomy for duodenal ulcer disease: procedures and appraisal. Adv Surg. 1996;29:291–302.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Dent J, Dodds WJ, Sekiguchi T, Hogan WJ, Arndorfer RC. Interdigestive phasic contractions of the human lower esophageal sphincter. Gastroenterology. 1983;84(3):453–60.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Holloway RH, Kocyan P, Dent J. Provocation of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations by meals in patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux. Dig Dis Sci. 1991;36(8):1034–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Liebermann-Meffert D, Allgöwer M, Schmid P, Blum AL. Muscular equivalent of the lower esophageal sphincter. Gastroenterology. 1979;76(1):31–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Orringer MB, Bluett M, Deeb GM. Aggressive treatment of chylothorax complicating transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy. Surgery. 1988;104(4):720–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Patti MG. Minimally invasive esophageal procedures. In: Souba WW, Fink MP, Jurkovich GJ, Kaiser LR, Pearce WH, Pemberton JH, Soper N, editors. ACS surgery. Principles & practice. 6th ed. New York: WebMD Professional Pub; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Patti MG, Goldberg HI, Arcerito M, Bortolasi L, Tong J, Way LW. Hiatal hernia size affects lower esophageal sphincter function, esophageal acid exposure, and the degree of mucosal injury. Am J Surg. 1996;171:182–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Pellegrini C, Wetter LA, Patti M, Leichter R, Mussan G, Mori T, Bernstein G, Way L. Thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy. Initial experience with a new approach for the treatment of achalasia. Ann Surg. 1992;216(3):291–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Skandalakis LJ, Donahue PE, Skandalakis JE. The vagus nerve and its vagaries. Surg Clin North Am. 1993;73(4):769–84.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Stein HJ, DeMeester TR, Naspetti R, Jamieson J, Perry RE. Three-dimensional imaging of the lower esophageal sphincter in gastroesophageal reflux disease. Ann Surg. 1991;214(4):374–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Zaninotto G, DeMeester TR, Schwizer W, Johansson KE, Cheng SC. The lower esophageal sphincter in health and disease. Am J Surg. 1988;155:104–11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marco G. Patti MD, FACS .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Allaix, M.E., Patti, M.G. (2014). Esophageal Anatomy and Physiology. In: Fisichella, P., Allaix, M., Morino, M., Patti, M. (eds) Esophageal Diseases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04337-1_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04337-1_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-04336-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-04337-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics