Acid Reflux Relief
If you have heartburn or reflux twice a week or more, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Heartburn is the most common symptom, but you may also experience:
- Hoarseness or sore throat
- Frequent swallowing
- Asthma or asthma-like symptoms
- Pain or discomfort in the chest
- Sleep disruption (unable to sleep lying down)
- Bloating
- Excessive clearing of the throat
- Persistent cough
- Burning in the mouth or throat
- Intolerance of certain foods
- Dental erosions or therapy-resistant gum disease or inflammation
Normally, after swallowing, a valve between the esophagus and stomach opens to allow food to pass and then closes to prevent stomach contents from "refluxing" back into the esophagus. For people who suffer from GERD, the valve is dysfunctional and unable to prevent acid from refluxing into the esophagus, thus a burning sensation in the chest.
Traditional Treatments
GERD today is typically treated with medications such as histamine receptor antagonists (H2 blockers) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). These medications can lose their effectiveness over time. They also don't treat the underlying root causes of reflux, the deteriorated anatomy of the antireflux barrier, so life-long medication therapy is required. In addition, recent studies on the adverse effects of long-term use of PPIs indicate a significantly higher incidence of hip fractures, particularly among women.
If dietary changes and medication do not effectively deal with your moderate to severe chronic acid reflux, we offer surgical solutions that aim to recreate the natural valve that stops fluids from the stomach refluxing back to the esophagus. Depending on the specific cause of your chronic acid reflux, you may benefit from laparoscopic repair using traditional or robotic techniques or TIF (Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication), which is for patients with reflux, but no hiatal hernia.
Traditional laparoscopic surgical treatment, though effective, is invasive and usually includes hospital stays for up to several days. For that reason, the number of GERD sufferers who pursue the traditional surgical treatment for chronic acid reflux is relatively small.