You may feel pain or have trouble swallowing. The most common problem with the esophagus is GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). With GERD, a muscle at the end of your esophagus does not close properly. This allows stomach contents to leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus and irritate it.
The esophagus is the muscular tube that extends from the neck to the abdomen and connects the throat to the stomach.
The most common disorders treated by thoracic surgeons include:
- Achalasia
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Hiatal Hernia
- Barrett’s Esophagus
- Esophageal Diverticulum
- Esophageal Cancer
