ABSTRACT
The esophagus, a muscular/mucosal tube connecting the mouth and pharynx to the stomach, is critical for life (and good quality of life) (Figure 25.1). This seemingly simple organ is surgically challenging to repair or replace. There are a number of conditions where surgical repair of the esophagus is indicated. These include accident and trauma, congenital defects such as esophageal atresia (incomplete formation of the esophagus) and tracheoesophageal fistulas and cancer. In 2003, roughly 14,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with esophageal cancer. The prevalence of esophageal cancer in the general population can be 10 to 100 times higher in Iran, China, Singapore, India, and South Africa. Worldwide, cancer of the esophagus is the seventh leading cause of cancer death.
