GLOSSARY

The cardia is a small part of the stomach that connects directly to the oesophagus and surrounds the lower oesophageal sphincter; it is named for its closeness to the heart (Greek *kardia*).

Characteristics

• Location: at about the level of vertebra T11, left of the midline and behind the left seventh costal cartilage.
• Cardiac orifice: where the oesophagus enters the stomach.
• Cardiac notch (angle of His): the acute angle between the oesophagus and the fundus that helps prevent reflux.
• Cardiac glands: mainly mucous, protecting the mucosa from acid at the junction.

The Z-Line

The boundary between the oesophagus’s squamous epithelium and the stomach’s columnar epithelium (the squamocolumnar junction);