Abstract
Organ systems do not exist in a vacuum. However, in an era of increasingly specialized
medicine, the focus is often on the organ system alone. Many symptoms are associated
with differential diagnoses from upper gastrointestinal (GI) and cardiovascular medical
and surgical specialties. Furthermore, a large number of rare but deadly conditions
cross paths between the upper GI tract and cardiovascular system; a significant proportion
of these are iatrogenic injuries from a parallel specialty. These include unusual
fistulae, herniae, and embolisms that transcend specialties. This review highlights
these conditions and the shared anatomy and embryology of the two organ systems.
Keyword
anatomy - aneurysm - aorta/aortic - cardiac - esophageal surgery
