The esophagus, which connects your mouth to your stomach, makes possible many activities that we take for granted when we are healthy. These include swallowing, eating and being able to lie down without having the contents of our stomachs flow back into our throats.

When a disorder of the esophagus occurs, it can cause a variety of complex problems that may affect our ability to eat, swallow, breathe or speak. Organs such as our lungs, ears or sinuses may also be affected.

For all these reasons, the Esophageal Center at Cedars-Sinai uses a multidisciplinary team approach to ensure that every patient is thoroughly evaluated and receives the most appropriate treatment. These experts include:

• Gastroenterologists
• Gastrointestinal motility experts
• Surgeons
• Oncologists
• Researchers
• Nurses
• Counselors
• Dietitians
• Technologists

Jeffrey Conklin, MD Medical Director, Esophageal Center	Clark B. Fuller, MD Thoracic Surgeon; Surgical Director, Esophageal Center
Andrew Ippoliti, MD Administrative Director, Division of Gastroenterology	Mark Pimentel, MD Director, GI Motility Laboratory
Simon Lo, MD Director, GI Endoscopy; Director, Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases Program	Robert McKenna, MD Surgical Director, Center for Chest Diseases; Medical Director, Thoracic Surgery and Trauma
Edward Phillips, MD Executive Vice Chairman, Dept. of Surgery; Chief, Division of General Surgery; Director, Saul & Joyce Brandman Breast Center; Surgeon, Center for Weight Loss; Surgeon, Colorectal Cancer Program	John Bray, MD GI Radiology
Edy E. Soffer, MD Co-Director, GI Motility Laboratory