Oesophagus surgeries

The oesophagus is an organ of the digestive tract that connects the pharynx and stomach. It has no secretory glands and its main function is to ensure the proper passage of food. Among the pathologies of the oesophagus that may make a patient see a surgeon are:

• Oesophagal diverticula;
• Narrowings of the oesophagus as a result of trauma, burns, etc;
• Disruption of the integrity of the oesophagus;
• Heartburn;
• Disruption of the integrity and rupture of the oesophagus;
• New growths of the oesophagus; etc.

There are many different ways of treatment for these pathologies. To perform most of them, the surgeon must gain access to the organ. It can be achieved by two methods – direct opening of the thoracic cavity (thoracotomy) and minimally invasive methods (for example, laparoscopy). Among the surgeries are:

• Bouching of the oesophagus (gradual dilation of the oesophagus with special metal tubes);
• Resection of the oesophagus (removal of the affected part of the oesophagus);
• Anastomosis (formation of artificial connections of the oesophagus with other organs of the gastrointestinal tract);
• Esophagectomy (complete removal of the oesophagus with replacement by the stomach or intestine);
• Oesophagal plastics (used after severe burns or trauma. During this procedure, the doctor creates a semblance of the oesophagus from other tissues and organs of the patient);
• Fundoplication (formation of a kind of cuff around the oesophagus with use of stomach tissues); and many other types of surgeries.