angle of His
{{Short description|Anatomical structure}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox anatomy
| Name = Angle of His
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| Caption = The angle of His is formed between the esophagus (the tube arriving at the top of the image) and the cardia (position 6)
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The angle of His, also known as the esophagogastric angle, is the acute angle created between the cardia at the entrance to the stomach, and the esophagus. It helps to prevent reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus. It is commonly undeveloped in infants, making acid reflux fairly common in adults.
Structure
The angle of His is the acute angle between the stomach and the esophagus.{{Cite journal|last1=Fujiwara|first1=Yoshinori|last2=Nakagawa|first2=Kazuhiko|last3=Kusunoki|first3=Masato|last4=Tanaka|first4=Tsuneki|last5=Yamamura|first5=Takehira|last6=Utsunomiya|first6=Joji|date=1998-01-01|title=Gastroesophageal reflux after distal gastrectomy: possible significance of the angle of His|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002927097000026|journal=The American Journal of Gastroenterology|language=en|volume=93|issue=1|pages=11–15|doi=10.1016/S0002-9270(97)00002-6|issn=0002-9270|url-access=subscription}} It is created by the collar sling fibres and the circular muscles around this gastroesophageal junction.{{cite book |title=Mastery of surgery, Volume 1 |author1=Josef Fischer |author2=K.I. Bland|page=719 }}
= Variation =
The angle of His is normally undeveloped in infants, with the esophagus making a vertical junction with the stomach.{{Cite book|last=Sircar, Sabyasachi.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/187294914|title=Principles of medical physiology|date=2008|publisher=Thieme|isbn=978-1-58890-572-7|location=Stuttgart|pages=435|oclc=187294914}} As a result, reflux of stomach contents is common.
Function
The angle of His forms an anatomical sphincter. This prevents the reflux of stomach acid, digestive enzymes, and duodenal bile from entering the esophagus.{{Cite journal|last1=Dick|first1=R. C. S.|last2=Hurst|first2=Arthur|title=Chronic Peptic Ulcer of the Oesophagus and ITS Association with Congenitally Short Oesophagus and Diaphragmatic Hernia |date=1942-04-01|url=https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/11/2/105/1550769|journal=QJM: An International Journal of Medicine|language=en|volume=11|issue=2|pages=105–120|doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.qjmed.a066387|issn=1460-2725|url-access=subscription}} This is important in preventing gastroesophageal reflux disease and inflammation of the esophagus.[http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/178393-overview Hiatal Hernia] eMedicine Retrieved 30 January 2010
History
The angle of His is also known as the esophagogastric angle.{{Cite journal|last1=Berman|first1=J. K.|last2=Berman|first2=E. J.|last3=Lalonde|first3=A. H.|date=1961-03-01|title=Management of Esophageal Hiatus Hernia Syndrome and Associated Abnormalities with Balanced Operations|url=https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0096-0217(16)32561-4/abstract|journal=Diseases of the Chest|language=English|volume=39|issue=3|pages=233–248|doi=10.1378/chest.39.3.233|issn=0096-0217|url-access=subscription}}