esophagus

Home > ... > Medicine > Anatomy and Physiology > Anatomy and Physiology > ...

Essential reading Compare
side-by-side The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

esophagus

esophagus , portion of the digestive tube that conducts food from the mouth to the stomach. When food is swallowed it passes from the pharynx into the esophagus, initiating rhythmic contractions (peristalsis) of the esophageal wall, which propel the food along toward the stomach. The walls of the esophagus are lined with mucous glands that continue the lubrication of the food as it is conducted to the stomach. The human esophagus is about 10 in. (25 cm) long and 1 in. (2.5 cm) in diameter. See digestive system .

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-esophagu" title="Facts and information about esophagus">esophagus</a>

Give this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"esophagus." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 22 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"esophagus." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 22, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-esophagu.html

"esophagus." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-esophagu.html

Learn more about citation styles

esophagus

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

e·soph·a·gus / iˈsäfəgəs/ • n. (pl. -gi / -ˌgī; -ˌjī/ or -gus·es ) the part of the alimentary canal that connects the throat to the stomach; the gullet. In humans and other vertebrates it is a muscular tube lined with mucous membrane. DERIVATIVES: e·soph·a·ge·al / iˌsäfəˈjēəl/ adj.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O999-esophagus" title="Facts and information about esophagus">esophagus</a>

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"esophagus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 22 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"esophagus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (November 22, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-esophagus.html

"esophagus." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved November 22, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-esophagus.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Black esophagus. (Original Article). Magazine article from: Ear, Nose and Throat Journal; 6/1/2003
	Data Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of the Halo360 System in Treating Barrett's Esophagus Presented at DDW. Business Wire; 5/17/2005
	BARRX Medical, Inc. Introduces New Minimally Invasive Tool for Treating Barrett's Esophagus; HALO360 System Offers Physicians Fast, Effective Therapy To Treat Precancerous Condition of the Esophagus. Business Wire; 3/6/2006

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

	Management of Barrett's esophagus Magazine article from: Mayo Clinic Proceedings; 5/1/1998; ; 700+ words ; In Barrett's esophagus, the squamous lining of the lower esophagus is replaced by columnar epithelium. Barrett's esophagus is associated with gastroesophageal reflux and an increased risk of the development of esophageal cancer. Endoscopy...
	Barrett's esophagus.(THE EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN)(Clinical report) Magazine article from: Internal Medicine News; 7/1/2008; ; 700+ words ; ...surveillance, and treatment of Barrett's esophagus remain a vexing clinical concern. The American...with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the esophagus are found to have Barrett's esophagus on pretreatment tissue samples. Data are...
	Black esophagus. (Original Article). Magazine article from: Ear, Nose and Throat Journal; 6/1/2003; ; 700+ words ; Abstract Black esophagus is a rare, relatively newly described...explain its etiology. Introduction Black esophagus is an unusual incidental finding on...detect a diffuse blackening of the esophagus that ends abruptly at the transitional...
	Bacteria are indigenous to esophagus. Newspaper article from: Cancer Weekly; 4/6/2004; 700+ words ; ...NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The esophagus isn't merely a tube for food traveling...overturns the general belief that the esophagus is free of bacteria. "People thought that the esophagus wasn't hospitable to bacteria," said...
	The history of Barrett esophagus Magazine article from: Mayo Clinic Proceedings; 1/1/2001; ; 700+ words ; The term Barrett esophagus has become well established in the...indicate columnar metaplasia of the distal esophagus associated with chronic gastroesophageal...the historical aspects of Barrett esophagus are reviewed, providing insight not...
	Short segment barrett esophagus and specialized columnar mucosa at the gastroesophageal junction Magazine article from: Mayo Clinic Proceedings; 3/1/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and the gastric cardia has generated...location. Short segment Barrett esophagus is defined by the presence of columnar-appearing mucosa in the distal esophagus (<3 cm in length) with intestinal...
	Study: Bacteria Live in the Esophagus. News Wire article from: AScribe Medicine News Service; 3/16/2004; 700+ words ; ...March 16 (AScribe Newswire) -- The esophagus isn't merely a tube for food traveling...overturns the general belief that the esophagus is free of bacteria. "People thought that the esophagus wasn't hospitable to bacteria," says...
	Multifocal granular cell tumor of the esophagus and proximal stomach with infiltrative pattern: A case report and review of the literature Magazine article from: Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine; 10/1/1999; ; 700+ words ; ...gastrointestinal tract, most commonly in the esophagus. We report a case of a 45-year-old...multifocal granular cell tumors of the esophagus and proximal stomach. Two lesions within the distal esophagus and proximal stomach were characteristic...
	Rationale for surgical therapy of barrett esophagus Magazine article from: Mayo Clinic Proceedings; 3/1/2001; ; 700+ words ; Cameron Symposium on Barrett Esophagus and GERD Barrett esophagus has malignant potential and seems to be an acquired...surgery, whether surgery can change the course of Barrett esophagus, the change in cancer risk, who needs surveillance...
	Precancerous Esophagus Disease Eliminated in 98.4% of Patients Treated With HALO Ablation System. PR Newswire Europe; 7/21/2008; 700+ words ; ...patients having a precancerous condition of their esophagus called Barrett's esophagus were free of the disease 2.5 years after non...gastrointestinal physicians and researchers. Barrett's esophagus develops as a result of chronic gastroesophageal...