Anatomical View of Esophagus and Stomach Quiz L3

• Thoracic Esophagus: passes through superior and posterior mediastinum in the thorax, anteriorly related to the trachea, left atrium, pericardium, left principal bronchus, and left recurrent laryngeal nerve, posteriorly related to bodies of thoracic vertebrae, thoracic duct, azygos vein, right posterior intercostal arteries, and descending thoracic aorta.

• Esophagus: has three constrictions at the junction with the pharynx (15 cm from incisor teeth), crossing with the aortic arch and left main bronchus (27 cm), and at the junction with the stomach (38 cm); these constrictions cause difficulties in passing an esophagoscope, burning when swallowing caustic liquids, and may lead to esophageal carcinoma.

• Esophagus and heart: left atrium of the heart is closely related to the esophagus, with a barium swallow helping assess its size in case of heart failure.

• Esophagus supply: upper third by inferior thyroid arterial supply, middle third by thoracic aorta, and lower third by left gastric artery; venous drainage of upper third into inferior thyroid veins, middle third into azygos veins, and lower third into left gastric vein, which is a tributary of the portal vein; upper third drains into deep cervical nodes, middle third into superior and inferior mediastinal nodes, and lower third into celiac lymph nodes in the abdomen.

• Esophagus nerve supply: sympathetic fibers from sympathetic trunks, parasympathetic supply from the vagus nerves, and formation of the esophageal plexus inferior to the roots of the lungs.

• Stomach: located upper abdomen, most dilated part of the alimentary canal, shaped like the letter “J”, protected by lower ribs, and has a close relationship with the spleen, pancreas, and other structures; its posterior relations include the left crus of the diaphragm, left suprarenal gland, part of the left kidney, splenic artery, pancreas, transverse mesocolon, transverse colon, and lesser sac.

• Stomach parts: cardiac orifice (site of the gastroesophageal sphincter, site of two orifices, attaches to the diaphragm and is located opposite to the left seventh costal cartilage), lesser curvature (forms right border of the stomach, extends from cardiac orifice to pylorus, attaches to the liver), greater curvature (forms left border of the stomach, extends from cardiac orifice to pylorus, attaches to the spleen and transverse colon), fundus (dome-shaped, located upper left of cardiac orifice), body (extends from fundus to incisura angularis), and pylorus (tubular part of the stomach, lies in the transpyloric plane, made up of the pyloric antrum and pyloric canal, has a thick muscular sphincter).

• Stomach supply: five arteries, right gastric artery runs along lesser curvature, left gastric artery is a branch of the celiac artery, and right gastroepiploic artery runs along greater curvature, with gastrosplenic ligament containing short gastric arteries and left gastroepiploic artery.

• Thoracic Esophagus: passes through superior and posterior mediastinum in the thorax, anteriorly related to the trachea, left atrium, pericardium, left principal bronchus, and left recurrent laryngeal nerve, posteriorly related to bodies of thoracic vertebrae, thoracic duct, azygos vein, right posterior intercostal arteries, and descending thoracic aorta.

• Esophagus: has three constrictions at the junction with the pharynx (15 cm from incisor teeth), crossing with the aortic arch and left main bronchus (27 cm), and at the junction with the stomach (38 cm); these constrictions cause difficulties in passing an esophagoscope, burning when swallowing caustic liquids, and may lead to esophageal carcinoma.

• Esophagus and heart: left atrium of the heart is closely related to the esophagus, with a barium swallow helping assess its size in case of heart failure.

• Esophagus supply: upper third by inferior thyroid arterial supply, middle third by thoracic aorta, and lower third by left gastric artery; venous drainage of upper third into inferior thyroid veins, middle third into azygos veins, and lower third into left gastric vein, which is a tributary of the portal vein; upper third drains into deep cervical nodes, middle third into superior and inferior mediastinal nodes, and lower third into celiac lymph nodes in the abdomen.

• Esophagus nerve supply: sympathetic fibers from sympathetic trunks, parasympathetic supply from the vagus nerves, and formation of the esophageal plexus inferior to the roots of the lungs.

• Stomach: located upper abdomen, most dilated part of the alimentary canal, shaped like the letter “J”, protected by lower ribs, and has a close relationship with the spleen, pancreas, and other structures; its posterior relations include the left crus of the diaphragm, left suprarenal gland, part of the left kidney, splenic artery, pancreas, transverse mesocolon, transverse colon, and lesser sac.

• Stomach parts: cardiac orifice (site of the gastroesophageal sphincter, site of two orifices, attaches to the diaphragm and is located opposite to the left seventh costal cartilage), lesser curvature (forms right border of the stomach, extends from cardiac orifice to pylorus, attaches to the liver), greater curvature (forms left border of the stomach, extends from cardiac orifice to pylorus, attaches to the spleen and transverse colon), fundus (dome-shaped, located upper left of cardiac orifice), body (extends from fundus to incisura angularis), and pylorus (tubular part of the stomach, lies in the transpyloric plane, made up of the pyloric antrum and pyloric canal, has a thick muscular sphincter).

• Stomach supply: five arteries, right gastric artery runs along lesser curvature, left gastric artery is a branch of the celiac artery, and right gastroepiploic artery runs along greater curvature, with gastrosplenic ligament containing short gastric arteries and left gastroepiploic artery.

Test your knowledge of the anatomical view of the esophagus and stomach, including their extent, length, parts, relations, blood and nerve supply, and lymphatic system. This quiz covers important details presented by Dr. Zahid Kaimkhani and Dr. Amal Al-Rabiah.