The esophagus is a muscle tube about 25 centimeters long that connects the throat to the stomach. Through contracting movements of the muscle wall, called peristalsis, food is transported to the stomach after swallowing. The esophagus lies behind the windpipe and heart in the chest. Diseases of the esophagus, such as esophageal cancer or strictures, can make swallowing difficult or painful. On a website about incurable diseases, this word appears because the esophagus plays a role in various serious diseases, both as the site of the disease itself and in symptoms that arise from it.
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Medical dictionary
esophagus
tube connecting the throat to the stomach through which food passes to the stomach.
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