Anatomy Esophagus

What are the 2 sphincters of the esophagus?

Esophageal and Cardiac.

Where is the inferior/cardiac sphincter located? and function?

I is located inferior portion of esophagus and prevents reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus and slows the passage of food into the stomach.

What is the esophagus?

It is a muscular tube that extends down from the laryngopharynx to the cardiac orifice of the stomach.

Where is the esophagus located?

It is located mostly in the thoracic cage with the terminal portion in the abdomen. While in the thorax it lies to the right of the aorta, but at t-7 it deviates to the left and goes through esophageal hiatus at t-10 to meet with the stomach.

Where is the esophageal sphincter located? and function?

It is situated at the entrance of the esophagus and functions to prevent air from entering the esophagus.

What is the size of the esophagus?

It measure's about 5cm and resembles a bull's eye.

What is the esophagus's function?

Provides transportation of food to the stomach using muscular transactions.

The abdominal portion of the esophagus leaves a groove in the left lobe of the liver then enters the stomach at the cardiac orifice. T/F

T

The cardiac notch separates the left margin from the fundus of the stomach. T/F

T

Where do we usually scan for the esophagus and what is the sonographical appearance?

We usually scan to the left of the midline longitudinally near the stomach. It is recognized at the esophastric or gastroesophageal junction. It appears as a target lesion surrounded by crura of the diaphragm and anterior to the aorta running posterior to the left lobe of the liver. The structure has a hypo echoic external rim and hyper echoic center(Residual gut lumen or mucosal ulceration).

What is the sonographical appearance of the bowel wall?

where up to 5 layers can be visualized, the first, third and 5th layers are echogenic. The 2nd and 4th are hypo echoic. The average total thickness is 3mm and if distended are 5 mm.