The esophagus is part of the digestive system and is a tube-shaped structure that carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach. Between vertebrae C6-Th10,11, it is 23-25 cm long and 1-2 cm long. As the esophagus passes through the body, it is divided into three parts: Pars cervicalis, Pars thoracica and Pars abdominalis. The wall structure consists of four layers from outside to inside: tunica adventitia, tunica muscularis, tela submucosa and tunica mucosa.
The process of swallowing unfolds in three stages: oral, pharyngeal, and oesophageal, lasting approximately 1.5 seconds. Initially voluntary, it transitions into a reflexive action and can be broken down into six steps. There are three types of oesophageal peristalsis: primary, secondary and tertiary.
Many different conditions can occur in the oesophagus, including reflux, oesophagitis, Barrett’s oesophagus, oesophageal cancer, achalasia and Mallory-Weiss syndrome. These diseases are diagnosed based on symptoms, physical examination findings and diagnostic tests, and their treatment varies depending on the symptoms, severity of the disease and underlying causes. Understanding the complexity of these conditions is an important step in successfully managing them in practice.