Med Oradea - Anatomy II - Digestive System - Esophagus

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  • 1/11 Questions

    The esophagus:

    • Is situated between the pharynx and the stomach
    • The tracheal part is above the thoracic part
    • Has a lumbar part
    • Is 5-6cm long
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Med Oradea - Anatomy II - Digestive System - Esophagus

Digestive System Quizzes & Trivia

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  • 2. 

    The thoracic esophagus:

    • Has relations with the trachea to the right

    • Has relations in front with the left and right bronchus and pericardial membrane

    • Has 4 coats: epithelial, muscular (external), submucous, and mucous

    • The azygos vein is lateral

    Correct Answer
    A. Has relations with the trachea to the right
    Explanation
    Again, the esophagus curves to the left, so it doesn't interact with the right bronchus. It isn't that wide!

    The esophagus actually just has 3 coats- muscular, submucous, and mucous

    The azygos vein is behind.

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  • 3. 

    The abdominal esophagus:

    • Receives innervation from the vagus nerve

    • Blood comes from the right gastric artery via the esophago-cardio-gastric artery

    • Veins drain to the gastric vein

    • Lymph goes to gastric nodes

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. Receives innervation from the vagus nerve
    A. Veins drain to the gastric vein
    A. Lymph goes to gastric nodes
    Explanation
    Actually the esophago-cardio-gastric artery comes from the left gastric artery. Think about how far to the left the esophagus is in relationship to the stomach.

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  • 4. 

    Regarding some relationships:

    • The thyroidean artery is behind the cervical esophagus

    • The left recurrent laryngeal nerve contacts the prevertebral fascia

    • The cervical esophagus is in front of the trachea

    • Behind the cervical esophagus is the left recurrent laryngeal nerve

    • The left lobe of the thyroid is in front of the cervical esophagus

    Correct Answer
    A. The left lobe of the thyroid is in front of the cervical esophagus
    Explanation
    Since these questions basically concern what is in front/behind of the cervical esophagus:

    In front: Trachea, thyroidean artery and vein, left recurrent laryngean nerve, and left lobe of thyroid
    Behind: cervical column and the prevertebral muscles & fascia

    Just remember the esophagus is pretty far posterior! If you get confused, think about the aortic arch- the esophagus has to go all the way to the stomach, so if it were in front of the trachea it would pass in front of the lungs and contact the arch, which you know doesn't happen.

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  • 5. 

    Cervical esophagus

    • Is 5-6cm long

    • Is delimited by the lower end of the pharynx / cricoid cartilage and manubrium

    • Is slightly inclined to the right

    • Receives vascularization from branches from the thyroidean artery and vein

    • Lymph drains to apical nodes

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. Is 5-6cm long
    A. Is delimited by the lower end of the pharynx / cricoid cartilage and manubrium
    A. Receives vascularization from branches from the thyroidean artery and vein
    Explanation
    The cervical esophagus is actually inclined a little to the left. Lymph goes to the cervical nodes

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  • 6. 

    The abdominal esophagus:

    • Is limited by the diaphragm and fundus

    • On the right side is followed by the lesser curvature

    • Forms an angle with the greater curvature of the somach on the left.

    • Has relationships with the right vagus nerve (behind) and the liver (in front)

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. On the right side is followed by the lesser curvature
    A. Forms an angle with the greater curvature of the somach on the left.
    A. Has relationships with the right vagus nerve (behind) and the liver (in front)
    Explanation
    The abdominal esophagus is limited by the diaphragm and cardia of the stomach. It joins the stomach pretty far to the left - so the lesser curvature mainly follows on the right.

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  • 7. 

    The thoracic esophagus

    • Is limited in the upper part by the manubrium

    • Is limited in the lower part by the esophageal plexus

    • Passes behind the aortic arch and descends along the trachea

    • Presents several narrowings, including at: the 'mouth' of esophagus, the aortic arch, the right bronchus, the cardia (of stomach), and the diaphragm (sometimes)

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. Is limited in the upper part by the manubrium
    A. Passes behind the aortic arch and descends along the trachea
    Explanation
    The lower limit of the thoracic esophagus is the diaphragm. This is easy to remember in relationship to the vagus nerves - remember the left vagus becomes the anterior vagal trunk, and the right vagus the posterior vagal trunk - these pass through the diaphragm at the esophageal hiatus.

    As for option D, it's correct, except the esophagus curves to the left - so it wouldn't narrow at the right bronchus (but it does narrow at the left one)

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  • 8. 

    The esophagus receives blood from:

    • Esophageal arteries

    • Esophageal branches from the thoracic splanchnic artery

    • Esophageal branches from the aorta

    • Esophageal branches from the thyroidean artery

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. Esophageal arteries
    A. Esophageal branches from the aorta
    A. Esophageal branches from the thyroidean artery
    Explanation
    There's no such thing as a thoracic splanchnic artery. Option A is correct - actually esophageal arteries are branches of: thoracic aorta, inferior thyroid, and left gastric, but it's nevertheless true.

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  • 9. 

    Concerning some relationships:

    • The thoracic duct passes behind the thoracic esophagus

    • The aortic arch is to the right of the esophagus

    • The esophagus is to the right of the left subclavian artery

    • The subclavian artery has relations with the left recurrent laryngeal nerve

    • The descending aorta is lateral to the esophagus

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. The thoracic duct passes behind the thoracic esophagus
    A. The esophagus is to the right of the left subclavian artery
    A. The subclavian artery has relations with the left recurrent laryngeal nerve
    A. The descending aorta is lateral to the esophagus
    Explanation
    Option B is a little tricky- the ascending aorta is actually in front of the trachea (and in front of the esophagus). But the arch is slightly lateral, or rather antero-lateral. The descending aorta is lateral to the thoracic esophagus.

    Option D is definitely true - the left recurrent laryngeal branches downward from the left vagus, passes over the root of the left subclavian artery and then loops around and behind the aortic arch as it passes upwards again (recurrent). Don't forget this relationship!

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  • 10. 

    Regarding the thoracic esophagus:

    • It receives blood from the phrenic and thyroidean arteries

    • Drainage is from a venous plexus

    • Venous drainage is to the inferior vena cava (upper part) and hepatic portal vein (lower part)

    • The azygos vein sometimes anastomoses thyroidean vein before draining to the inferior vena cava

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. It receives blood from the phrenic and thyroidean arteries
    A. Drainage is from a venous plexus
    Explanation
    D is just totally wrong. Option C is wrong too because the azygos vein drains the upper part. The hepatic portal vein drains the lower part, as described.

    Don't forget about option A - thyroidean arteries give off esophageal branches, and the left phrenic gives off a branch that supplies a small portion of the esophagus at the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm.

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  • 11. 

    The esophagus:

    • Has relations laterally with the vagus nerves, common carotid artery, and internal jugular vein

    • The cervical part is covered by the trachea on the right side

    • Is innervated by thoracic splanchnic nerves

    • Receives innervation from the vagus nerve

    • Receives innervation from cervical sympathetic trunk fibers

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. Has relations laterally with the vagus nerves, common carotid artery, and internal jugular vein
    A. The cervical part is covered by the trachea on the right side
    A. Is innervated by thoracic splanchnic nerves
    A. Receives innervation from the vagus nerve
    A. Receives innervation from cervical sympathetic trunk fibers
    Explanation
    The thoracic splanchnic nerves supply the celiac ganglion, the source of sympathetic innervation to the esophagus. Remember that the thoracic splanchic nerves are unusual because they are sympathetics but do not synapse in the paravertebral ganglia. In the case of esophageal innervation, they synapse in the celiac ganglion. The vagus contributes fibers to this ganglion but doesn't synapse in it - it synapses in the walls of the esophagus.

    Also remember that the thoracic splanchnics (being sympathetics) come from the sympathetic trunk

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  • Current Version
  • Mar 20, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Jun 01, 2011
    Quiz Created by
    Medoradea
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