Which term is the cardiac sphincter?

Which term is the cardiac sphincter?

• A. Rugae
• B. Fundus
• C. Pylorus
• D. Cardiac sphincter

Answer: (D)

The term that identifies the sphincter at the junction where the esophagus meets the stomach is the cardiac sphincter, also known as the lower esophageal sphincter. Its role is to maintain a tone that keeps the gastroesophageal junction closed and to relax just enough to allow a swallowed bolus to enter the stomach. This structure helps prevent reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus. Understanding the other terms helps place this in context: rugae are the folds inside the stomach that allow it to expand when it fills; the fundus is the dome-shaped upper portion of the stomach; the pylorus is the distal region leading to the duodenum, with its own sphincter (the pyloric sphincter) that regulates the passage of gastric contents into the small intestine. The cardiac sphincter specifically refers to the lower esophageal region, not these other parts.

The term that identifies the sphincter at the junction where the esophagus meets the stomach is the cardiac sphincter, also known as the lower esophageal sphincter. Its role is to maintain a tone that keeps the gastroesophageal junction closed and to relax just enough to allow a swallowed bolus to enter the stomach. This structure helps prevent reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus.

Understanding the other terms helps place this in context: rugae are the folds inside the stomach that allow it to expand when it fills; the fundus is the dome-shaped upper portion of the stomach; the pylorus is the distal region leading to the duodenum, with its own sphincter (the pyloric sphincter) that regulates the passage of gastric contents into the small intestine. The cardiac sphincter specifically refers to the lower esophageal region, not these other parts.