What is Barrett's Esophagus?
Barrett's esophagus is a condition in which the muscular tube that carries food and saliva from the mouth to the stomach changes so that some of its lining is replaced by a type of tissue similar to what is normally found in the intestines. Barrett's esophagus is estimated to affect about 700,000 adults in the United States. The exact cause of Barrett's esophagus is not known. A factor that can increase the changes for developing it is GERD.
GERD is a condition where the lining of the esophagus becomes damaged as a result of stomach acid refluxing back into the esophagus. Other risk factors include obesity, age and gender.
