Forsyth Medical Center 
Esophagus
| The esophagus is a section of the digestive tract between the mouth and stomach. It is the first organ into which swallowed food goes. |
Common disorders involving the esophagus include:
Esophagitis
Esophagitis is an irritation of the esophagus, usually caused by acid that flows up from the stomach. Sometimes a muscle between the esophagus and stomach fails to close properly and allows the return of food and stomach juices into the esophagus, which can lead to esophagitis.
Surgical procedures to treat disorders of the esophagus include:
Heller Myotomy
A Heller myotomy is a surgical procedure to treat achalasia, a condition in which the patient has problems swallowing food. When food arrives at the end of the esophagus, the muscular valve known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) fails to relax to allow food into the stomach. To treat achalasia, the muscle around the gastroesophageal junction must be cut to limit its ability to block the passage of food. A Heller myotomy procedure can be performed through a large incision or through several small incisions using laparoscopic instruments. Since development of the laparoscopic procedure, recovery time has been reduced significantly.
