gastroenterology Flashcards
what is the range of the cervical oesophagus?
upper oesophageal sphincter to sternal notch (between 15-20cm on the whole tract)
what kind of muscle is present in the cervical oesophagus?
skeletal
what is the range of the upper thoracic oesophagus?
20-25cm
what is the range of the middle thoracic oesophagus?
25-30cm
what kind of muscle is present in the upper and middle thoracic oesophagus?
skeletal and smooth
what is the range of the lower thoracic oesophagus (oesophageogastric junction)?
30-40cm
until lower oesophageal sphincter
what is the range of the abdominal oesophagus?
40-45cm
which levels does the oesophagus run between?
C5 - T10
what are the 4 anatomical contributions to the lower oesophageal sphincter?
3-4 cm distal oesophagus within abdomen
diaphragm surrounds LOS (left and right crus)
intact phrenicoesophageal ligament
angle of His
what is the benefit of having 3-4 cm of the distal oesophagus within the abdomen?
increased abdominal pressure extrinsically compresses lower oesophageal sphincter to maintain seal
lower oesophageal sphincter pressure increases in proportion to increase intra-abdominal pressure
what is the advantage of the diaphragm surrounding the lower oesophageal sphincter?
left and right diaphragm wrap around oesophagus (crus), meet phrenicoesophageal
action like a pair of scissors - contraction of diaphragm compresses distal oesophageal sphincter
what is the phrenoesophageal ligament?
ligament attaching oesophagus to diaphragm
extension of inferior diaphragmatic fascia
what is the function of the phrenicoesophageal ligament?
allows independent movement of diaphragm and oesophagus during respiration and swallowing
how can the structure of the phrenicoesophageal be described?
two limbs - upper and lower
upper limb - attaches oesophagus to superior surface of diaphragm
lower limb - attaches cardia region of stomach to inferior surface of diaphragm at cardiac notch of stomach
what is the angle of His?
(normally) acute angle between abdominal oesophagus and fundus of stomach at oesophagogastric junction
how does the angle of His help prevent GORD?
fundus of the stomach expanded by air
due to normal anatomy and relations of the oesophageal hiatus oesophagogastric junction structures are pushed from left to right
this pushes closed thegastroesophageal flap valve (or “rosette”)
what happens during stage 0 of swallowing (oral phase)?
chewing and saliva prepare bolus
both oesophageal sphincters constricted
what happens during stage 1 of swallowing (pharyngeal phase)?
pharyngeal musculature guides food bolus towards oesophagus
upper oesophageal sphincter opens reflexively
lower oesophageal sphincter opens by vasovagal reflex (receptive relaxation reflex)
what happens during stage 2 of swallowing (upper oesophageal phase)?
upper sphincter closes
superior circular muscle rings contract
inferior circular muscle rings dilate
sequential contractions of longitudinal muscle
what happens during stage 3 of swallowing (lower oesophageal phase)?
lower oesophageal sphincter closes as food passes through
how is motility of the oesophagus determined?
pressure measurements (manometry)
what is the pressure of the oesophagus during peristalsis?
40 mmHg
what is the resting pressure of the lower oesophageal sphincter?
20 mmHg
when does the lower oesophageal sphincter reach its lowest pressure?
decreases to <5 mmHg
during receptive relaxation
what effect does lowering pressure in the lower oesophageal sphincter have?
allows food to pass into stomach
what mediates the decrease in pressure in the lower oesophageal sphincter?
secretion by postganglionic inhibitory noncholinergic nonadrenergic neurons (NCNA, NANC, Neurocrine) in enteric nervous system
vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), gastrin release peptide (GRP), enkephalins
what are the 3 types of abnormal oesophageal contraction that can cause absence of a stricture?
hypermotility
hypomotility
disordered co ordination
what is dysphagia?
difficulty swallowing
what must be ascertained when investigating dysphagia?
localisation - cricopharyngeal sphincter, distal
for solid or fluid (indicates severity)
intermittent or progressive
precise or vague in appreciation
what is odynophagia?
pain on swallowing
what is regurgitation?
return of oesophageal contents from above an obstruction
what is reflux?
passive return of gastroduodenal contents to mouth
what is achalasia an example of?
condition causing hypermotility
what causes achalasia?
loss of ganglion cells in Aurebach’s myenteric plexus (lower oesophageal sphincter wall)
causes decreased activity of inhibitory NCNA neurones, cannot relax lower oesophageal sphincter
what are some secondary diseases that cause oesophageal motor abnormalities similar to primary achalasia?
Chagas’ disease (South American chronic infection with parasite Trypanosoma Cruzi)
protozoa infection
amyloid/sarcoma/eosinophilic oesophagitis
what is the proposed model of achalasia pathophysiology?
environmental trigger (chronic infection - varicella zoster, HSV-1 etc.)
maybe genetic predisposition or genetic factors including mutations
non autoimmune inflammatory infiltrates increase
promotes extracellular turnover, wound repair, fibrosis
loss of immunological tolerance
apoptosis of neurons
causes humoral response
leads to myenteric neuron abnormalities, autoimmune myenteric plexitis, vasculitis, absence of peristalsis and impaired relaxation of lower oesophageal sphincter
what are some symptoms of achalasia?
dysphagia
regurgitation of food
retrosternal pain
weight loss
what are some serious complications of achalasia?
oesophagitis, pneumonia
x28 risk of oesophageal cancer
how can achalasia cause oesophagitis or pneumonia?
aspiration of oesophageal contents containing bacteria
how does impaired relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter in achalasia have negative effects?
increased resting pressure of lower oesophageal sphincter
receptive relaxation sets in late and is too weak (during reflex, pressure in sphincter is higher than the stomach)
swallowed food collects in oesophagus - increased pressure throughout
oesophagus dilates, propagation of peristaltic waves ceases
how can the course of achalasia be described?
insidious onset, symptoms for many years before seeking help
progressive dilation of oesophagus
how is achalasia treated?
pneumatic dilation
weakens sphincter by circumferential stretching (sometime tearing) of its muscle fibres
how effective is pneumatic dilation in the treatment of achalasia?
70-90% initially respond
many later relapse
what is the surgical follow-up after failed pneumatic dilation in treatment of achalasia?
Heller’s myotomy - continuous myotomy, 6cm on oesophagus and 3cm onto stomach (cuts muscle to get rid of stricture)
usually followed up with Dor fundoplication for protection - anterior fundus wrapped around oesophageal exposed mucosa and sutured to right side of myotomy
what are the risks of surgical intervention in achalasia?
oesophageal and gastric perforation (difficult to cut through muscle without damaging mucosa) - 10-16%
division of vagus nerve - rare
splenic injury - 1-5% (fundus linked to spleen)
how could achalasia be treated endoscopically?
peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)
not as effective as surgical intervention
how is a peroral endoscopic myotomy carried out?
endoscope enders dilated oesophagus, mucosal incision
creation of submucosal tunnel
myotomy - cuts through muscle as much as necessary
closure of mucosal incision
what is scleroderma an example of?
condition causing hypomotility
what is scleroderma?
autoimmune disease
how does scleroderma cause hypomotility?
hypomotility in early stages due to neuronal defects, causes atrophy of oesophageal smooth muscle
distal peristalsis eventually stops
how does scleroderma cause GORD?
distal peristalsis eventually stops
lower resting pressure of lower oesophageal sphincter
nothing to prevent reflux into distal oesophagus
what is GORD due to scleroderma often associated with?
CREST disease
calcinosis, Raynaud’s phenomena, esophageal, sclerodactyly, telangiectasia
how is scleroderma treated?
exclude organic obstruction
improve force of peristalsis with prokinetics (cisapride)
dilatation if all else fails
(once peristaltic failure occurs, condition is irreversible)
what is corkscrew oesophagus an example of?
disordered coordination
what are the features associated with corkscrew oesophagus?
diffuse oesophageal spasm
incoordinate contractions cause dysphagia and chest pain
pressures 400-500 mmHg
severe hypertrophy of circular muscle
barium swallow shows corkscrew shape
how is corkscrew oesophagus treated?
may respond to forceful pneumatic dilation of cardia
results not as predictable as achalasia