Megaesophagus: induction by a simple animal experiment. Report on the method.

The report describes a method for a simple animal experiment in which esophageal changes similar to megaesophagus can be produced by distal esophageal constriction. Whereas the esophagus of the operated rats with distal stenosis of the esophagus underwent no change in length, there was an increase in width, especially in the middle third, by an average of about 4.5 times. Optical microscopy revealed no inflammatory infiltrates in the esophageal mucosa as a possible indication of retention esophagitis in any of the animals. The histomorphometric investigation of the various portions of the esophageal wall revealed, during the initial period (12 days), a statistically significant thinning of the submucosa and muscularis in almost every region of the esophagus. An early hypertrophy of the tunica muscularis in almost every region of the esophagus. An early hypertrophy of the tunica muscularis was observed only in the area of the distal stenosis. The cornifying squamous epithelium showed a slight increase in thickness in the middle and distal regions of the esophagus. The animal experimental model presented here appears to us to be well suited for further investigation of functional esophageal disorders through future animal experiments.