ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the anatomy and physiology of the esophagus and describes some of the more common complications after esophageal surgery and trauma. Most esophageal motility disorders are due to an abnormality in smooth muscle fibers, esophageal myotomy needs to span only these muscle fibers. The arterial blood supply of the esophagus is derived from the inferior thyroid artery, the segmental esophageal arteries branching off the aorta, and the left gastric and splenic artery. The symptoms of esophageal perforation depend on the size and site of the perforation and on the elapsed time since perforation. Patients with cervical perforation usually experience cervical pain and dysphagia. After esophageal perforation, the dissection of oral secretions bacteria and salivary enzymes and gastric contents into the fascial planes of the neck and mediastinum initiates a chemical and bacterial inflammatory response.
