Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common foregut disease in the world and accounts for approximately 75% of all esophageal pathology. The majority of affected patients have mild disease and are successfully managed with lifestyle modification and acid suppression…
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is among the most common diseases seen by both primary care and gastrointestinal (GI) specialists worldwide. Its prevalence is increasing, with reflux symptoms ranging from 10% to 30% of the population of Western countries. Compared to…
With an estimated annual incidence of 1 in 100,000 and prevalence of 10 in 100,000, achalasia is a rare, primary motility disorder of the esophagus, defined by absence of normal peristalsis and failure of swallow-induced relaxation of the lower esophageal…
Achalasia is a rare esophageal disorder presenting primarily with dysphagia, characterized by well-defined esophageal motor abnormalities. This chapter addresses the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of achalasia, as well as the medical therapeutic options for this disorder. Epidemiology Epidemiologic data originate…
Diverticular diseases of the esophagus consist of variations of outpouchings of one or more layers of the gut wall that are epithelial lined. These outpouchings can be found along the entire length of the esophagus. They are described by their…
Disorders at the cricopharyngeal level lead to oropharyngeal dysphagia , or transfer dysphagia . With this term, we usually refer to the difficulty in making the food progress from the oropharynx to the esophagus, through the upper esophageal sphincter (UES),…
Endoscopy remains the fundamental diagnostic technique for the evaluation of a wide spectrum of esophageal disease. Its cardinal purposes are to perform a comprehensive visual assessment of the esophagus, and to obtain tissue for histologic evaluation. The current standard for…
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a very common global disorder that poses a significant public health burden. GERD affects approximately 20% of the population of the Western world and has been ranked as the fourth most prevalent gastrointestinal disease and…
Esophageal motility disorders may be implicated as an explanation for dysphagia and noncardiac chest pain after exclusion of esophageal structural lesions by endoscopy, with the caveat that eosinophilic esophagitis has been ruled out with histology. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) must…
The endoscopist who examines the esophagus evaluates a muscular tube whose primary function is to convey swallowed material from the mouth to the stomach. The esophagus is approximately 25 cm in length measured from its origin in the neck just below…