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Esophageal reflux: A condition wherein stomach contentsregurgitate or back up (reflux) into the esophagus (a long cylindrical tube thattransports food from the mouth to the stomach). The food in the stomach is partiallydigested by stomach acid and enzymes. Normally, the partially digested acid content in thestomach is delivered by the stomach muscle into the small intestine for further digestion.In esophageal reflux, stomach acid content refluxes backwards up into the esophagus,occasionally reaching the breathing passages, causing inflammation and damage to theesophagus, as well as to the lung and larynx (the voice box). The process is medicallytermed gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD). 10% of patients with GERD develop a Barrett's esophagus which can increase the risk of cancer of the esophagus.