Question

describe the location of the lower esophageal spincter then explain the problems that would result if tjis spinyer narrows conversely explain the problems tgst would result if this sphinter dosent close properly

Answer 1

The lower esophageal sphincter is a bundle of smooth muscles that are present at the lower end of the esophagus. It is present at the junction between the esophagus and the stomach. Its primary function is to prevent the reflux of contents of the stomach into the esophagus. This sphincter is not under voluntary control.

Narrowing of the esophagus is termed as esophageal stenosis. The causes for esophageal stenosis are gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), eosinophilic esophagitis, injuries during endoscopy, etc. The symptoms include:

• Dysphagia - Difficulty or painful swallowing.
• Unintended weight loss - Due to difficulty in swallowing, consumption and digestion of food are impaired.
• Regurgitation of food or liquids - As the sphincter is narrow, the swallowed food or liquid cannot go into the stomach. This leads to regurgitation.
• Foreign body sensation in the esophagus after swallowing something
• Burping and hiccups
• Heartburn - due to reflux of acid from the dysfunctional sphincter

When the lower esophageal sphincter fails to close properly, it leads to the reflux of acid into from the stomach into the esophagus. This condition is called Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)The risk factors that have been implication in GERD include obesity, hiatus hernia, and obstructive sleep apnea. The symptoms of GERD include - acidic taste in the mouth, heartburn, chest pain and nausea. Prolonged GERD can lead to esophageal stenosis and a premalignant condition called Barret's esophagus (intestinal metaplasia). This significantly increases the risk of esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma). GERD is commonly treated with a class of drugs called Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs).