This book aims to be a synthesis of our current knowledge about the normal and pathological esophagus. Although a number of excellent monographs on limited aspects of esophageal pathology are available, a recent handbook treating the whole of esophageal physiology and pathology is lacking. We attempted to present the collected material in such a way that even the neophyte in the field would not get lost in the wealth of data. For this reason we have included a number of illustrations such as classical radiological and endoscopic images, manometric tracings and uncomplicated graphs, which may seem superfluous for specialists but will be helpful to the reader who wants to be initiated in the subject. At the same time we tried to be fairly complete so as to make available to the esophageal specialist a book of references, to which he can readily turn when faced with rare diseases or unusual physiological or pathophysiological pheno mena. In order to achieve both aims the authors often give their own point of view when faced with controversal topics, while classical as well as more recent features and concepts are mentioned and diverging opinions discussed."

This book aims to be a synthesis of our current knowledge about the normal and pathological esophagus. Although a number of excellent monographs on limited aspects of esophageal pathology are available, a recent handbook treating the whole of esophageal physiology and pathology is lacking. We attempted to present the collected material in such a way that even the neophyte in the field would not get lost in the wealth of data. For this reason we have included a number of illustrations such as classical radiological and endoscopic images, manometric tracings and uncomplicated graphs, which may seem superfluous for specialists but will be helpful to the reader who wants to be initiated in the subject. At the same time we tried to be fairly complete so as to make available to the esophageal specialist a book of references, to which he can readily turn when faced with rare diseases or unusual physiological or pathophysiological pheno mena. In order to achieve both aims the authors often give their own point of view when faced with controversal topics, while classical as well as more recent features and concepts are mentioned and diverging opinions discussed."

Physiologie und Pathophysiologie der Speiserohre haben erst spat das Interesse der Kliniker gefunden. Unzulangliche Untersuchungs- methoden und berechtigte Furcht vor Gefahren eines operativen Eingriffs haben den thorakalen Abschnitt des Oesophagus fiir lange Zeit zu einem chirurgischen Niemandsland gemacht. Erst die Ent- wicklung von Radiologie und Endoskopie hat den Bann durch- brochen, der die exakte Diagnose von funktionellen und organisch- mechanischen Leiden verhinderte. Erfassung und Registrierung von Tonus und Peristaltik waren die nachsten Schritte, die mit Hilfe der Endomanometrie moglich wurden. Funktionelle Storungen, welche die Oesophagusmuskulatur mit ihrem immer noch problematischen Sphinctermechanismus betreffen, beherrschen heute noch die klini- sche Diskussion. Dieser neue Weg hat eine Chirurgie der Speise- rohre entwicke!t, die fUr aufdringliche und schmerzhafte funktionelle Leiden eine fast ungefahrliche Korrektur ermoglicht. Das vorliegende Buch gibt den heutigen Standort der Pathophy- siologie des Oesophagus in sehen vollendeter Form wieder. Der Chir- urg wird daraus den gleichen Nutzen ziehen wie der Internist. Nur ein Ratse! bleibt unge!ost, das im Beginn der chirurgischen Aera oesophagealer Erkrankungen im V ordergrund stand: das Carcinom und aile der zum Teil gro13artigen Bemtihungen urn eine wahre Radi- kaloperation sind vergeblich geblieben. Wahrscheinlich hilft aber die Anwendung der modernen diagnostischen Methoden zu frtihzeitiger Erkennung des Leidens und damit vielleicht sogar zu besseren chirur- gischen Dauerresultaten.