[The esophagus: organic and functional disorders--findings in literature in recent years]

Esophagus is often unregarded, being considered only a pathway for the food. As our knowledge has been rising, esophageal diseases become more frequently diagnosed. Gastroesophageal junction represents the region of contact between two different types of epithelium. Exact delimitation of the border is often very difficult. Also the region of cardia has not been yet precisely defined. The important component of the refluxate, which can impair the esophageal mucosa, is the duodenal content. One of the elemental causes of the reflux disease is probably transient relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, which is triggered by the central nervous system. When inflammatory changes are present in cardia, gastric carditis is diagnosed. Histological changes in cardia are related to the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection and also to the gastroesophageal reflux disease. If the aetiology of Helicobacter pylori infection cannot be proved, non-helicobacter solitary carditis is diagnosed. Barrett's esophagus represents an acquired serious impairment of the esophageal mucosa. Barrett's esophagus diagnose depends on the existence of histological changes in the biopsy samples form esophageal mucosa. The most effective treatment of the Barrett's esophagus is the early and long-lasting curing of the esophagus reflux disease. The conservative curing is based on the long-term suppression of gastric acid production by antisecretorics (most effective are inhibitors of proton pump). Functional gastric disorders represent an important group with the most recent international classification done in 1999 (Roma II).