K22: Other diseases of oesophagus

K22.1: Ulcer of oesophagus

The oesophagus or gullet connects the mouth with the stomach. It is a muscular tube. The muscles in the oesophagus move food into the stomach.

The inside of the gullet is lined with mucous membrane. Your mucous membrane is severely damaged in one place. As a result, you have developed an open sore. There can be bleeding from the open sore.

There are many reasons for an open sore in the gullet. If the junction between the gullet and stomach is leaky for example, gastric acid from the stomach may then be regurgitated into the gullet. The strong acid from the stomach attacks the sensitive mucous membrane in the gullet. If a lot of gastric acid is regurgitated over a considerable time, this may damage the gullet. An open sore in the gullet can also be caused for instance by specific drugs or inflammations.