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An esophageal food bolus obstruction is a medical emergency caused by the obstruction of the esophagus by an ingested foreign body.. It is usually associated with diseases that may narrow the lumen of the esophagus, such as eosinophilic esophagitis, Schatzki rings, peptic strictures, webs, or cancers of the esophagus; rarely it can be seen in disorders of the movement of the esophagus, such as ...
When food is being swallowed, the epiglottis moves backward to cover the larynx, preventing food from entering the trachea. At the same time, the upper esophageal sphincter relaxes, allowing a bolus of food to enter. Peristaltic contractions of the esophageal muscle push the food down the esophagus. These rhythmic contractions occur both as a ...
The primary peristaltic wave forces the bolus down the esophagus and into the stomach in a wave lasting about 8–9 seconds. The wave travels down to the stomach even if the bolus of food descends at a greater rate than the wave itself, and continues even if for some reason the bolus gets stuck further up the esophagus.
Abnormalities of the esophagus may lead to esophageal dysphagia. The failure of the lower esophagus sphincter to respond properly to swallowing is called achalasia. M-Type Swallowing With practice, people can learn to swallow fluidly without closing the mouth by merely manipulating the tongue and jaw to drive fluids or foods down the esophagus.
During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus. The epiglottis folds down to a more horizontal position to direct the food into the esophagus, and away from the trachea. Once in the esophagus, the bolus travels down to the stomach via rhythmic contraction and relaxation of muscles known as peristalsis. The ...
“They assist with motility, keeping food moving down the digestive tract to lower the risk of constipation, while also preventing inflammation. Those leafy greens also contain additional ...
When food or other objects travel down the respiratory tract rather than down the esophagus to the stomach, this is called aspiration. This can lead to the obstruction of airways, inflammation of lung tissue, and aspiration pneumonia; and in the long term, atelectasis and bronchiectasis. [3]
The syndrome is caused by a quirk in the muscle that acts as the gatekeeper to the esophagus, the roughly 10-inch-long muscular tube that moves food between the throat and the stomach.