Q39: Congenital malformations of oesophagus

Q39.6: Diverticulum 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 oesophagus is hollow and lined with mucous membrane. If tissue fails to develop properly, defects can occur.

Your esophagus is widened at a place because the wall is bulging there. It may be that it is only the mucous membrane that is bulging. But it may also be that the bulging affects all the layers of the esophagus wall.

A bulge in the esophagus is not necessarily accompanied by problems. But the bulge may also cause various problems. Swallowing may cause problems. These include pain or a burning sensation behind the sternum, for example. Some of the food that has been swallowed can accumulate in the bulge and be broken down by bacteria. There may then be an unpleasant smell when one breathes through one's mouth. Food might also come back into the mouth from the esophagus, particularly when lying down.