Esophagectomy

The esophagus carries food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach. Any word ending with the suffix "-ectomy" means removal, as in appendectomy, tonsillectomy, etc. Esophagectomy is usually reserved for patients with esophageal cancer, but may rarely be used for other benign forms of obstruction. The stomach can be mobilized and pulled up into the chest to replace the esophagus.