Oesophagus

Question 1

Where does the oesophagus enter the abdomen?

Answer 1

T10 through the oesophageal hiatus in the diaphragm.

Question 2

What artery supplies the upper 1/3rd of the oesophagus?

Answer 2

Inferior thyroid artery

Question 3

What artery supplies the middle 1/3rd of the oesophagus?

Answer 3

Oesophageal branches of thoracic aorta.

Question 4

What artery supplies the lower 1/3rd of the oesophagus?

Answer 4

Oesophageal branches of the left gastric artery.

Question 5

What vein drains the upper 1/3rd of the oesophagus?

Answer 5

Inferior thyroid veins.

Question 6

What vein drains the middle 1/3rd of the oesophagus?

Answer 6

Azygous veins into SVC.

Question 7

What vein drains the lower 1/3rd of the oesophagus?

Answer 7

Left gastric vein into the portal vein.

Question 8

What is the innervation of the oesophagus and what process does these nerves control?

Answer 8

Myenteric plexus (controlled by vagus)- peristalsis.
Submucosal plexus - function less well defined.

Question 9

Is the UOS or LOS an anatomical sphincter?

Answer 9

UOS - lower is a physiological as doesn’t have sphincteric muscle.

Question 10

What is the epithelium type found in the oesophagus? Why?

Answer 10

Non-keratinised stratified squamous to withstand friction.

Question 11

What types of muscle is found in the oesophagus?

Answer 11

Upper 1/3 - voluntary striated
Middle 1/3 - mixed
Lower 1/3 - smooth