Age features of the esophagus
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The esophagus of the newborn is a tube 10-12 cm long and 0.4 to 0.9 cm in diameter (2 months old) with mild anatomical constrictions. The most pronounced pharyngeal (upper) narrowing of the esophagus. By the end of the second childhood (11-12 years), the length of the esophagus is doubled (20-22 cm). The distance from the teeth to the cardiac part of the stomach in a newborn is 16.3 cm, in 2 years - 22.5 cm, at 5 years - 26-27.9 cm, in a child 12 years - 28-34.2 cm. The lumen of the esophagus the child 2-6 months is 0.85-1.2 cm, over 6 years - 1.3-1.8 cm.
The beginning of the esophagus in the newborn is at the level of the intervertebral disk between the bodies of III and IV cervical vertebrae. Then, in connection with the lowering of the pharynx, the upper border of the esophagus drops (at 2 years - to the level of IV-V, 10-12 years - to V-VI, at 15 years - to VI-VII cervical vertebra). In older people, the beginning of the esophagus is at level I of the thoracic vertebra.
The muscular membrane of the esophagus in the newborn is weakly developed. Up to 12-15 years it intensively grows, and in the future changes little. Mucous membrane in children under 1 year is poor in glands; longitudinal folds appear at the age of 2-2.5 years.
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