The digestive tract can be conceptualised as a long hollow tube with a lumen of varying diameters. The digestive tract starts from the mouth and continues as the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and ends as the anus. There are also tiny ducts which function as conduits supplying digestive secretions to the gastrointestinal tract. These ducts are the pancreatic duct and the bile duct.

Diseases of the digestive tract may result in luminal obstruction. The consequence of this is a failure to absorb nutrients, digest food and excrete secretions. This may result in vomiting, inability to eat, malnutrition, malabsorption, pain and infection.

Strictures of the digestive tract may be treated with either surgery or endoscopy. Endoscopic treatment consists of dilatation therapy or the insertion of stents to maintain patency.