Anti-Reflux Surgery

When would I need anti-reflux surgery?

You’ll need anti-reflux surgery when nonsurgical treatments fail to improve your heartburn and other GERD symptoms. GERD occurs when the contents in your stomach flow back up (reflux) into the esophagus, which connects your throat to your stomach.

A round muscle between your esophagus and stomach controls the flow of food into your stomach. The muscle, called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), opens to let food into your stomach and then closes to keep everything inside your stomach.

If the LES weakens or relaxes at the wrong time, it lets the stomach contents, including strong acids, reflux into the esophagus. This condition, called acid reflux, turns into GERD when it happens regularly.

Acid reflux burns and irritates your esophagus. Ongoing exposure to stomach acid causes inflammation and can lead to esophageal ulcers and precancerous changes in the cells lining the esophagus.

What problems contribute to GERD?

Some people are born with a weak LES. However, things that put pressure on your stomach or increase the pressure inside your stomach also weaken the muscle.

Problems that cause acid reflux include:

• Some medications
• Fatty and spicy foods
• Peppermint
• Tight clothing
• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol
• Vigorous exercise
• Laying down after eating
• Being overweight or obese

Having a hiatal hernia also contributes to acid reflux. This hernia happens when the top part of your stomach bulges through the diaphragm into the chest cavity.

What symptoms indicate that I need anti-reflux surgery?

Acid reflux causes symptoms like:

• Heartburn (burning chest pain)
• Hoarseness
• Sore throat
• Dry cough
• Difficulty swallowing
• Regurgitation
• Bitter taste in your mouth

You could also feel like something is stuck in your throat.

What happens during anti-reflux surgery?

The initial treatment for GERD includes lifestyle changes and medications like antacids and proton pump inhibitors. If your symptoms don’t improve or you don’t want to keep taking medicines, the next step is anti-reflux surgery.

Dr. Schumacher recommends the gold standard of anti-reflux surgery, a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure called Nissen fundoplication.

After making several tiny incisions in your abdomen, he inserts a laparoscope and specially designed surgical instruments through the small incisions. The laparoscope sends magnified video images to a monitor in the operating room.

During your procedure, he repairs the hiatal hernia. Then he reinforces the LES by wrapping the top part of your stomach around the esophagus.

Call Ohio Bariatrics and Laparoscopy or book a consultation online today to learn more about surgery to relieve GERD.