Esophagus and Its Organic and Functional Disorders – Literature Observations of Last Years

Summary

Esophagus is often unregarded, being considered only a pathway for the food. As our knowledge has been rising,esophageal diseases become more frequently diagnosed. Gastroesophageal junction represents the region of contactbetween two different types of epithelium. Exact delimitation of the border is often very difficult. Also the regionof cardia has not been yet precisely defined. The important component of the refluxate, which can impair theesophageal mucosa, is the duodenal content. One of the elemental causes of the reflux disease is probably transientrelaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, which is triggered by the central nervous system. When inflammatorychanges are present in cardia, gactric carditis is diagnosed. Histological changes in cardia are related to the presenceof Helicobacter pylori infection and also to the gastroesophageal reflux disease. If the aetiology of Helicobacterpylori infection cannot be proved, non-helicobacter solitary carditis is diagnosed. Barrett´s esophagus representsan acquired serious impairment of the esophageal mucosa. Barrett´s esophagus diagnose depends on the existenceof histological changes in the biopsy samples form eophageal mucosa. The most effective treatment of the Barrett´sesophagus is the early and long-lasting curing of the esophagus reflux disease. The conservative curing is based onthe long-term suppression of gastric acid production by antisecretorics (most effective are inhibitors of proton pump).Functional gastric disorders represent an important group with the most recent international classification done in1999 (Roma II).

Key words:
gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophagitis, carditis, Barrett´s esophagus, functional gastric disorder.