Esophageal Diseases
Your esophagus is a muscular tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. Some esophageal disorders can make it hard or painful for you to swallow or eat, affecting your quality of life. Others can put you at a higher risk for developing cancer in your esophagus.
Our surgeons treat a wide variety of esophageal disorders with minimally invasive and robotic techniques. At Northwestern Medicine, you are the center of your care team. We will work with you to create a care plan that fits your specific needs. Our team includes specially trained experts and support staff who provide world-class care.
Our specialized team uses techniques including:
- Esophageal resections, which removes part of your esophagus, often to treat cancer
- Fundoplication, a surgery to treat hiatal hernia
- Procedures to lengthen an esophagus, often used to treat the cause of an esophageal disorder
- Transoral stapling (without an incision) to treat Zenker's diverticulum
We specialize in treating complex esophageal diseases such as:
- Esophageal cancer
- Hiatal hernias
- Zenker’s diverticulum, a pouch that forms in your throat at the start of your digestive tract
- Esophageal mass, a tumor that can be cancer or non-cancerous
- Barrett’s esophagus (also called intestinal metaplasia)
- Achalasia
Canning Thoracic Institute Second Opinion Program
When your lung or chest condition requires complex treatments or major surgery, it makes sense to get a second opinion.
Clinical Trials and Research
The Simpson Querrey Lung Institute for Translational Science (SQLIFTS) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine uses a bedside-to-bench-to-bedside approach to seamlessly integrate patient care with research.
Chrome
Edge
Safari
Firefox