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Congenital short esophagus
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
Congenital short esophagus (synonyms: Brachiesophagus, thoracic stomach).
Congenital short esophagus is a developmental anomaly that forms during the fetal period, in which the distal part of the esophagus is lined with gastric epithelium, and part of the stomach is located above the diaphragm.
ICD-10 code
Q39.8 Other congenital malformations of oesophagus.
Symptoms of congenital short esophagus
After feeding, children experience regurgitation, vomiting, sometimes with blood, as a result of the development of esophagitis. Symptoms are caused by cardia insufficiency, accompanied by gastroesophageal reflux; the disorder can be complicated by reflux esophagitis, peptic ulcer, esophageal stricture.
Diagnosis of congenital short esophagus
Often, it is only possible to distinguish the defect from a sliding hiatal hernia during surgery.
Treatment of congenital short esophagus
In case of a pronounced clinical picture, the treatment is surgical. In the absence of adhesions of the esophagus and aorta, the normal position of the esophagus and stomach can be restored by stretching them.
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