It describes the anatomy of esophagus. it includes the parts of esophagus, layers, sphincters , junctions of esophagus, blood supply of esophagus and its functions

1. ANATOMY OF ESOPHAGUS
BY: MS. SAILI GAUDE
PRINCIPAL
SHIVAM COLLEGE OF NURSING
, AMIRGADH

2. INTRODUCTION
A long fibromuscular tube that joins oral cavity to
stomach
Length- 25cm
Diameter- 2cm
Location : cervical vertebrae 6 to thoracic vertebrae
11
It actively facilitates the passage of the food into
the stomach under nervous regulation

3. PARTS
1) CERVICAL ESOPHAGUS
2) THORACIC ESOPHAGUS
3) ABDOMINAL ESOPHAGUS

4. CERVICAL ESOPHAGUS
The part of esophagus that travels
through the neck

5. THORACIC ESOPHAGUS
Which is located in the thorax,
more specifically in the
mediastinum

6. ABDOMINAL ESOPHAGUS
Which travels past the diaphragm into
the abdomen reaching the stomach

7. JUNCTIONS
Esophagus is connected at either
end by other structures, resulting
in 2 junctions:
1) Pharyngoesophageal junction
2) Gastroesophageal junction

8. PHARYNGOESOPHAGEAL
JUNCTION
Located posterior to the cricoid cartilage and
formed at the union between the pharynx and
the esophagus

9. GASTROESOPHAGEAL JUNCTION
Located at the meeting point between
the esophagus and stomach

10. SPHINCTERS
The passage of food through these junctions is regulated by
sphincters: bundles of muscle fibers under involuntary
2 SPHINCTERS
1) UPPER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER
2) LOWER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER

11. 1) UPPER ESOPHAGEAL
SPHINCTER
The pharyngoesophageal junction is surrounded by the upper
esophageal sphincter also known as the cricopharyngeus muscle.
This muscle is part of the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles

12. LOWER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER
Gastroeophageal junction is surrounded by the lower esophageal
sphincter also known as cardiac sphincter
It is referred to as cardiac sphincter because of its location near the
heart
The primary function of the LES is to keep the acid and food inside
the stomach and prevent it from re- entering into the esophagus
The LES is a physiological sphincter as it does not have thickened ring
of muscles like anatomical sphincters do. Instead they have circular
muscle that works by constricting either around or inside of them.

13. LAYERS OF ESOPHAGUS
1) MUCOSA
2) SUBMUCOSA
3) MUSCULARIS EXTERNA
4) ADVENTITIA

15. MUCOSA
Made up stratified squamous epithelium containing numerous
mucous glands
It secretes mucus which helps lubricate food and shield from
stomach acid

16. SUBMUCOSA
It is a thick loose fibrous layer
connecting the mucosa to the
muscularis
It contains connective tissues and
provides blood supply, nerve supply to
the mucosa
Together the mucosa and submucosa
form long longitudinal folds so that a
cross section of the esophagus opening
would be start shaped.

17. MUSCULARIS
Composed of inner layer in which the
fibres are circular and an outer layer of
longitudinal fibres.
The inner circular muscle fibres are
arranged in very tight spiral whereas the
longitudinal muscle fibres are loose.
When divided into 3 parts the :
Upper 1/3rd – striated muscles
Middle 1/3rd – striated and smooth
muscles
Lower 1/3rd – smooth muscles

18. ADVENTITIA
Outer layer of the esophagus is
composed of loose fibrous tissue that
connects the esophagus with
neighbouring structures

19. ESOPHAGEAL HIATUS
It is situated in the muscular part of the
diaphragm at the level of the tenth
thoracic vertebra and is elliptical in shape
It is the hole through which the esophagus
passes through the diaphragm

20. PHYSIOLOGY OF ESOPHAGUS
The esophagus is involved in the processes of swallowing and
peristalsis to move substances from the mouth to the stomach.
The swallowing food begins in the mouth and continues with the
contraction of skeletal muscles in the pharynx and esophagus.
The upper esophageal sphincter dilates to permit the swallowed
substance to enter the esophagus
From this point, waves of muscle contraction are called as peristalsis
Regions of the esophagus closer to the stomach open through the
action of the LES to allow food to enter the stomach