Esophageal Pouches

Overview :

The esophagus is a muscular tube that propels food into the stomach. A defect in the wall of the esophagus may allow the lining to herniate, creating a space where food can be caught. Pouches can appear anywhere between the throat and the stomach. They occur primarily in men and usually later in life.

Different names for the condition apply to different locations along the esophagus:

• Zenker's diverticula are pharyngeal pouches, or ones that occur in the upper neck area at the top of the esophagus.
• Traction diverticula are a type of mid-esophageal pouch.
• Epiphrenic diverticula occur at the bottom of the esophagus near where it enters the stomach.
  
  

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