Esophagus Surgery

Reasons for the surgery of the esophagus include:

Cancer of the esophagus
Heartburn, or gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Problems with digestion
Barretts esophagus
Narrowing of the esophagus or tightening of the muscles around the esophagus that makes it hard to swallow
Peptic ulcer

Tests for conditions of the esophagus are:

Upper GI (gastrointestinal) series, a group of x-rays using a barium swallow
X-ray with barium swallow, where the patient drinks a liquid that coats the inside of the esophagus so that it shows up better on an X-ray.
Endoscopy, where a doctor passes a thin tube with lights and a camera or other device to see the esophagus.
Biopsy, when a doctor takes a little bit of tissue to test for cancer or other conditions. If a biopsy is needed, its done during an endoscopy.
CT scan, or computed tomography scan, which is a type of X-ray