Minimally Invasive Surgery for Reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), commonly known as heartburn, is characterized by a burning sensation in the chest, stomach or throat. Reflux is caused when the valve between the esophagus and the stomach does not maintain its one-way flow, allowing partially digested food and acid to move back up into the esophagus. Over time, this backwash can cause hoarseness, sleeping difficulties, damage to the esophagus due to chronic inflammation and can put the sufferer at increased risk for a pre-cancerous condition known as Barrett’s esophagus.

While over-the-counter and prescription acid-reducing medications can mask the discomfort of reflux, the condition does worsen over time. For people with chronic or daily reflux, correctional surgery may become necessary. Those considered for surgery are people who have symptoms despite use of the strongest medications, or those whose symptoms are controlled with the very strongest of anti-reflux medications, but who will need to take them for the rest of their lives. For these patients, the cost of the medications can become prohibitive and having surgery to correct the problem will be less costly in the long run.

Surgery to correct reflux, performed since the 1950’s, has been available as minimally invasive surgery since the early 1990’s and has been performed at Guthrie since 1997 by Dr. Steven C. Simon, Director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Center. Minimally invasive surgery, also known as laparoscopic surgery, differs from traditional open surgery in that instead of making one large incision, the surgeon makes several tiny incisions in the patient’s abdomen. A videocamera and long, thin surgical instruments are inserted through these holes and the surgery is performed with the surgeon using the videocamera to visualize the patient’s inside. Minimally invasive surgery provides significant benefits to patients, including reduced blood loss, smaller incisions, less pain following the procedure, less time in the hospital and a faster recovery.

The goal of minimally invasive GERD surgery is to restore the one-way function of the valve between esophagus and stomach -- this is accomplished by wrapping the top portion of the stomach around the esophagus and sewing it in place, mimicking the function of the weakened valve.

For more information about minimally invasive surgery to correct reflux, call Guthrie toll-free at 1-888-4GUTHRIE (1-888-448-8474).