| Ask A Doctor |
|
The Ask A Doctor message board provided a medium for sufferers of Heartburn and Gerd to ask questions about medical and surgical options for heartburn and receive answers directly from experienced Gastroesophageal surgeons.
Please Note!!! The Ask A Doctor message board is now a read only message board. Since May 1, 2000 the Doctors have answered over 1500 questions that have been posted to the board. We join you in thanking the doctors for performing this excellent service.
Additional Ask A Doctor message boards can be viewed at Message Board
[ Home | Contents | Search | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Adam Fierer, M.D.
Date: 02/27/01
Time: 14:16:54
Nice question. These terms all are loosely used to determine the transition point between the esophagus and the stomach (gastroesophageal junction). I say loosely, because this transition point differs depending on how you choose to identify it. Gastroenterologists, radiologists and surgeons often differ slightly on what they consider the true transition point. Hence the confusion you probably noticed in what you've read. The squamocolumnar junction is an endoscopic landmark (i.e. seen from the inside of the esophagus and stomach during endoscopy) which identifies the abrupt change from the typical lining of the esophagus (squamous cells) and that of the stomach (columnar cells). Because it is not always a straight line and often undulates, it is often referred to as the Z line. The lower esophageal sphincter, as its name implies, is found in the lower end of the esophagus ending in the region of the Z line. X-rays can give a slightly different transition point based on the anatomic structures seen such as the gastric folds. At surgery, looking at the outside of the esophagus and stomach, the transition point may again be a bit different from the internal landmarks. This may not completely answer your question, but as you may gather, I don't believe there is an absolute answer to where is the true junction between the stomach and esophagus.