Lower Esophageal Ring

Overview :

Lower esophageal ring (also called Schatzki's ring and B-ring) affects about 10-14% of the population. Normally, the lower part of the esophagus, near where the esophagus meets the stomach, has an inside diameter of 1.5-2 inches. The diameter of this part of the esophagus is less when lower esophageal ring is present, and diameters as small as one-eighth inch have been seen. When the inside diameter is less than about three-fourths of an inch, intermittent difficulty with swallowing can result. About 96% of people with lower esophageal ring have no symptoms.