Esophageal Structures

Question 1

What is the esophagus?

Answer 1

The esophagus is a collapsed muscular tube approximately 9-10 inches long with a sphincter or valve at each end

• Upper esophageal sphincter (UES) at the top (CP or PE)
• Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) at the bottom

Question 2

What are the 2 layers of muscle?

Answer 2

• Inner circular
• Outer longitudinal

Each layer is made up of striated muscle in the upper third and a combination of striated and smooth muscle in the middle third and smooth muscle in the lower third

Question 3

Path of the esophagus

Answer 3

The esophagus passes through the neck, chest and diaphragm in order to attach to the stomach

Question 4

Location of esophagus

Answer 4

• In the neck the esophagus sits behind the trachea and shares the soft tissue wall so that the posterior wall of the trachea is the anterior wall of the esophagus

Question 5

LES

Answer 5

• The valve at the bottom of the esophagus is the LES
• Marks the boundary between the esophagus and the stomach
• Primary purpose of the LES is to keep food and secretions (including stomach acid) in the stomach