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Overview
The esophagus runs through the diaphragm to the stomach. It functions to carry food from the mouth to the stomach. The esophagus passes through the diaphragm just before it meets the stomach, through an opening called the esophageal hiatus.
Review Date 11/25/2023
Updated by: Debra G. Wechter, MD, FACS, General Surgery Practice Specializing in Breast Cancer, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.