Risk factors for Esophageal Stricture (narrowing)
Gastric/Peptic Ulcers
A chronic ulcer causes swelling and inflammation of the gastric and duodenal tissues. Over time, scarring may close the pylorus, the lower end of the esophagus, thus preventing the passage of food and causing vomiting and weight loss.
Key
 | Weak or unproven link |
Glossary
Chronic
Usually Chronic illness: Illness extending over a long period of time.
Ulcer
Lesion on the skin or mucous membrane.
Duodenum
First portion of the small intestine between the pylorus and jejunum.
Pylorus
The sphincter muscle at the distal (lower) opening of the stomach. The pylorus only allows food to pass through after the digestive enzymes of the stomach have properly processed it. Once through the pylorus on its way to the duodenum, the food is still only partially digested.
Esophagus
Commonly called the "food pipe", it is a narrow muscular tube, about nine and a half inches long, that begins below the tongue and ends at the stomach. It consists of an outer layer of fibrous tissue, a middle layer containing smoother muscle, and an inner membrane, which contains numerous tiny glands. It has muscular sphincters at both its upper and lower ends. The upper sphincter relaxes to allow passage of swallowed food that is then propelled down the esophagus into the stomach by the wave-like peristaltic contractions of the esophageal muscles. There is no protective mucosal layer, so problems can arise when digestive acids reflux into the esophagus from the stomach.
