El esófago (del griego οἰσοφάγος) es una parte del aparato digestivo de los seres humanos (y otros seres vivos tanto vertebrados como invertebrados) formada por un tubo muscular de unos 25 centímetros, que comunica la faringe con el estómago. Se extiende desde la sexta o séptima vértebra cervical hasta la undécima vértebra torácica. A través del mismo pasan los alimentos desde la faringe al estómago. La palabra «esófago» deriva del latín «oesophagus» que deriva de la palabra griega «oisophagos» (οισοφάγος), literalmente ‘entrar por alimentos’. El esófago discurre por el cuello y por el mediastino posterior (posterior en el tórax), hasta introducirse en el abdomen superior de forma anterior, atravesando el diafragma. En el recorrido esofágico encontramos distintas improntas producidas por las estructuras vecinas con las que está en íntimo contacto, como son: 1. \n* El cartílago cricoides de la laringe. 2. \n* El cayado aórtico de la arteria aorta. 3. \n* El atrio izquierdo del corazón.. 4. \n* El hiato esofágico, que es el orificio del diafragma por el que pasa el esófago. 5. \n* El alimento pasa por este tubo

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The esophagus (American English) or oesophagus (British English) (/ᵻˈsɒfəɡəs/), commonly known as the food pipe or gullet, is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by peristaltic contractions, from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus is a fibromuscular tube, about 25 centimetres long in adults, which travels behind the trachea and heart, passes through the diaphragm and empties into the uppermost region of the stomach. During swallowing the epiglottis tilts backwards to prevent food from going down the larynx and lungs. The word esophagus is the Greek word for gullet. The wall of the esophagus from the lumen outwards consists of mucosa, submucosa (connective tissue), layers of muscle fibers between layers of fibrous tissue, and an outer layer of connective tissue. The mucosa is a stratified squamous epithelium of around three layers of squamous cells, which contrasts to the single layer of columnar cells of the stomach. The transition between these two types of epithelium is visible as a zig-zag line. Most of the muscle is smooth muscle although striated muscle predominates in its upper two thirds. It has two muscular rings or sphincters in its wall, one at the top and one at the bottom. The lower sphincter helps to prevent reflux of acidic stomach content. The esophagus has a rich blood supply and venous drainage. Its smooth muscle is innervated by involuntary nerves (sympathetic nerves via the sympathetic trunk and parasympathetic nerves via the vagus nerve) and in addition voluntary nerves (lower motor neurons) which are carried in the vagus nerve to innervate its striated muscle. The esophagus may be affected by gastric reflux, cancer, prominent dilated blood vessels called varices that can bleed heavily, tears, constrictions, and disorders of motility. Diseases may cause difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), painful swallowing (odynophagia), chest pain, or cause no symptoms at all. Clinical investigations include X-rays when swallowing barium, endoscopy, and CT scans.

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