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.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Selected Reading
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.
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.
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.
Collard JM, Lengele B, Otte JB, Kestens PJ. En bloc and standard esophagectomies by thoracoscopy. Ann Thorac Surg. 1993;56(3):675–9.
Cuschieri A. Endoscopic vagotomy for duodenal ulcer disease: procedures and appraisal. Adv Surg. 1996;29:291–302.
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.
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.
Liebermann-Meffert D, Allgöwer M, Schmid P, Blum AL. Muscular equivalent of the lower esophageal sphincter. Gastroenterology. 1979;76(1):31–8.
Orringer MB, Bluett M, Deeb GM. Aggressive treatment of chylothorax complicating transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy. Surgery. 1988;104(4):720–6.
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.
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.
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.
Skandalakis LJ, Donahue PE, Skandalakis JE. The vagus nerve and its vagaries. Surg Clin North Am. 1993;73(4):769–84.
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.
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.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights 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)