The cardia is the small region of the stomach that surrounds the opening from the oesophagus (the cardial orifice). It lies just below the diaphragm, behind the left lobe of the liver. On its left side a sharp notch, the cardial notch, separates it from the fundus and forms the angle of His.
| Location | Around the cardial orifice at the junction with the oesophagus, left of the midline at about T11 |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Anterior and posterior vagal trunks (parasympathetic); Coeliac plexus, from greater splanchnic nerves T6-T9 (sympathetic) |
| Blood Supply | Oesophageal branches of the left gastric artery; Left inferior phrenic artery |
| Venous drainage |
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| Lymphatic drainage |
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Receives food from the oesophagus and secretes protective mucus; it helps form the barrier against reflux.
The cardia is part of the antireflux barrier at the gastro-oesophageal junction, and it is the part of the stomach that slides up into the chest in a sliding hiatus hernia. Cancers of the cardia behave more like oesophageal adenocarcinoma than like distal gastric cancer and have been increasing in Western countries. Its glands secrete mainly mucus rather than acid.
Cancer arising at or just below the gastro-oesophageal junction, linked to reflux and obesity, often presenting with dysphagia.
Upward displacement of the cardia through the oesophageal hiatus into the thorax, associated with reflux symptoms.
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