ANTI REFLUX / HIATAL HERNIA SURGERY
Minimally Invasive Surgery
WHAT IS A HIATAL HERNIA?
A Hiatal Hernia is a space in the diaphragm. Y our diaphragm is the muscle that separates
the chest and belly. Your stomach may bulge through this hole into your chest and
this can make Acid Reflux symptoms worse.
WHAT IS GERD?
GERD is a condition that allows food or stomach acid to move from the stomach up to
the esophagus. This is called reflux. It can cause discomfort in the chest called heart -
burn. T his happens because there is a weakness in the muscle between the esophagus
and the stomach.
WHAT ARE T HE SYMPTOMS?
Burning and heartburn in the stomach, chest and throat especially after meals.
CAUSES:
The cause can be due to several factors. Increasing age, obesity, and smoking are known ri sk
factors in adults.
HOW IS GERD TREATED?
This is usually treated medically with diet modifcation cessation of tobacco and alco -
hol and with weight reduction.
WHEN IS SURGERY INDICATED?
When medical treatment fails. Usually patients are on medication for a long period
of time and the medication doesn’t control the symptoms anymore. You may develop
aspiration pneumonia, hoarseness or chronic cough.
WHAT IS ANTIREFLUX SURGERY?
The surgery for GERD is called a Nissen Fundoplication. It is a procedure that tightens the
junction between the esophagus and the stomach. This is a minimally invasive surgery
that takes about an hour to perform. Usually a Hiatal Hernia Repair is performed in
conjunction with the fundoplication. Patients can go home the same day of surgery
depending on your overall health.
OVERALL PROGNOSIS
Anti-refux surgery repair is a safe operation. Heartburn and other symptoms should
improve after surgery. There may still be some residual refLux symptoms that will re--
quire you to still take antireflux medication after surgery.
There is a possibility of recurrence which means that some people will need another
operation in the future to treat new reflux symptoms. This may happen if the stomach
was wrapped around the esophagus too tightly, the wrap loosens, or a new hiatal
hernia develops.
Possible complications of surgery include difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), difficulty
belching if the wrap is too tight and inability to eat certain foods in the future.
HIATAL HERNIA
ANTI REFLUX SURGERY
45 minute
Out Patient Surgery
You can go home on the same day
702-384-1160
GENERAL SURGERY SOLUTIONS
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