This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Pathology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Lack of inhibitory ganglion cells result in imbalance of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters (1,2).

  • Excitatory release acetylcholine
  • Inhibitory release vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and nitric oxide (NO)

Macroscopically:

  • dilatation of the oesophagus with thickening of the wall can lead to irreversible aperistalsis and worsening obstructive symptoms (1)
  • secondary changes such as diverticulae and mucosal ulceration may occur

Microscopically:

  • reduction or absence of ganglion cells in the myenteric plexus (1,2)
  • changes secondary to denervation and stasis:
    • hypertrophy of the oesophageal smooth muscle
    • inflammatory changes in myenteric nerves (1)

Reference:


Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.