Gastroenterology Flashcards
Describe the anatomy of the oesophagus including: vertebral levels, muscular types, and epithelial cell types
Oesophagus starts at C5 (where the trachea begins and ends at T11 the fundus of the stomach
Upper oesophageal sphincter is between pharynx and oesophagus, Lower oesophageal is at T11
Upper 1/3/ cervical oesophagus which ends at the sternal notch has skeletal muscle and sqaumous epithelial
middle 1/3 thoracic oesophagus is from trachea to diaphragm. Has an upper middle and lower part. the upper and middle have a mixture of skeletal and smooth muscle, the lower is only smooth muscle with columnar epithelial
Describe the phases involved in swallowing
Stage 0= oral, chew to make bolus the sphincters are closed
Stage 1= pharangeal phase, UOS opens as a reflex, LOS opens by vasovagal reflex/receptive relaxation
Stage 2= Upper Oesophageal phase, UOS closes, the superior circular muscle contracts and inferior relaxes, sequential contraction of longitudinal muscle to push bolus down
Stage 3- Lower Oeophageal Phase, LOS closes when bolus moves thru
What test determines oepophageal motility
Manometry: measures pressure
the peristaltic waves should be 40mmHg
LOS resting pressure 20 mmHg and then 15mmHg when in receptive relaxation
What neurotransmitter mediates the relaxation of the LOS
inhibitory noncholinergic nonadrenergic neurones of the myenteric plexus
What are the terms that mean (1) difficulty in swallowing and (2) pain on swallowing
(1) Dysphagia : need to know if occurs for solid, liquid, is intermittent or progressive, precise or vague
(2) Odynophagia
Define regurgitation and reflux
Regurg: return of oesophageal contents from above and obstruction
Reflux: passive return of gastroduodenal contents to the mouth
What are the functional disorders of the oesophagus
Absence of a stricture can be caused by two things
1)Abnormal oesophageal contraction
Hypermotility, Hypomotility and Disordered coordination
What is hypermotility in the oesophagus named
Achalasia (LOS doesnt relax)
What causes achalasia (pathophysiology and cause)
Loss of ganglion cells in Aurebach’s myenteric plexus on LOS wall, decreased inhibitory NCNA neurones. This causes increased resting pressure of LOS so receptive relaxation is too late and too weak. The pressure in LOS is much higher than stomach. This causes food to collect in oesophagus causing pressure and dilation of the rest of the oesophagus which stops peristaltic wave propagation
Primary: aetiology unknown
Secondary: due to diseases causing oeophageal motor abnormalities
What diseases can cause secondary achalasia
Chagas disease
Protazoa infection
Amyloid/sarcoma/eosinophilic oesophagitis
Describe how achalasia will present
weight loss, Odynophagia, insidious onset- have symptoms for ages and if not treated oeophagus keeps dilated
leads to pneumonia or esophagitis
What does achalasia put patients at risk of
Oeophageal cancer
How is achalasia treated and what are the risks
Pneumatic Dilation: Balloon inflated the LOS to weaken and stretch circumferentially, decreases pressure so food can pass
Surgery : Heller’s myotomy whch takes away muscle from above and below sphincter and then Dor fundoplication which folds the anterior fundus over. Risk of oesophageal and gastric perforation, cutting vagus nerve, injuring spleen
What is the term for hypomotility
Scleroderma
What is the cause of scleroderma (pathophysiology and causes)
neuronal defects causes atrophy of the oesophagus’ smooth muscle, peristalsis in the distal portion ceases causing hypomotility. Lower resting pressure in LOS, leads to development of gastroesophageal reflux disease,
What syndrome is associated with GORD
CREST syndrome
calcium deposits, spasm of blood vessels in response to cold or stress, acid reflux, sclerodactyl- thickening of skin on hands, dilation of capillaries
How is scleroderma treated
Check its not an organic obstruction
Prokinetiks like cisapride to improve peristalsis force
if peristalsis has failed usually reversible
Give an example of disordered coordination problems of the oesophagus
corkscrew oesophagus
Describe corkscrew oesophagus
Oesophageal spasm, incoordinate contractions so get dysphagia and chest pain. Pressures from 400-500mmHg. Hypertrophy of circular muscle and see the corkscrew on barium test
How is corkscrew oesophagus treated
Pneumatic dilation may result in a response
What is oesophageal perforation, where its most likely to happen and the causes
Hole in the oesophagus
happens at the three areas of anatomical constriction- the cricopharyngeal constriction, aortic and bronchial constriction, diaphragmatic and sphincter constriction.
It can also be due to cancer, foreign bodies, physiological dysfunction
Causes: OGD procedures (endoscope perforates Killians dehisense which is between the pharynx’s inferior constrictor muscles and the cricopharyngeal muscle) ,Boerhaave’s is spontaneous, foreign bodies, trauma,
What is Boerhaave’s and identify the most common findings/sign
Drinking a lot causes repeated vomiting againsta closed glottis creating sudden increased intra-oesophageal pressure with negative intrathoracic pressure. Creates perforation at the left posterolateral aspect of the distal oesophagus which is the weakest point
vomiting and chest pain are the signs
Describe how foreign bodies and trauma to the oesophagus causes oesophageal perforation, name the symptoms
Foreign bodies- disk batteries can erode and make large holes, magnets, sharp objects, acid/alkali things like drain cleaner burns the oesophagus
Trauma - if neck trauma usually penetrative force, if thorax then blunt force
dysphagia, chest pain, and shortness of breath, blood in saliva
How does oesophageal perforation present
Pain, fever, dyspahgia, emphysema