For many, managing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be difficult and frustrating. Millions of people suffer from chronic reflux and GERD but cannot find relief from their painful symptoms, even with lifestyle change and daily medication. If you suffer from obesity and GERD, it can be even more challenging to do simple things like enjoying a variety of foods or sleeping soundly. Because obesity is a risk factor for developing GERD, many people are living with both conditions.
Effective anti-reflux surgical options are available. These leading-edge techniques can free you from troubling GERD symptoms and a lifetime of medication, with minimal downtime and few side effects. Gastric bypass surgery is considered the gold standard surgical treatment for obesity, and it also relieves GERD and other reflux-related conditions that frequently accompany obesity.
The physicians affiliated with Memorial Hermann are at the forefront of reflux research and reflux surgery techniques and consistently provide treatments to improve your overall health and quality of life. If you are living with both GERD and obesity, gastric bypass surgery may provide the relief you need.
Also called Roux-en-Y, the gastric bypass procedure is appropriate for adults who need to control both obesity and severe GERD. The proven surgical technique reduces the size of the stomach and redirects part of the intestinal system to bypass a portion of the small intestine. The result is sustained weight loss and reduced or eliminated GERD symptoms.
Roux-en-Y for reflux reduces the size of the stomach which produces significant health benefits:
Gastric bypass for reflux is appropriate for people with a body-mass index (BMI) of 35 or more and severe GERD symptoms. Patients who have had previous gastric-sleeve surgery or hiatal hernia repair may also be candidates for the procedure.
Weight loss can help reduce the amount of stomach acid that is produced, but not all weight-loss surgical procedures are proven to improve GERD. Gastric bypass consistently produces positive outcomes with both weight loss and decreased reflux symptoms.
The Roux-en-Y technique is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. The surgeon accesses through a series of small incisions and guides a long, thin device to create a small pouch from the existing stomach and connect it to the small intestine. This allows food to bypass part of the gastrointestinal system.
Because gastric bypass for reflux is a minimally invasive procedure, side effects are minimal. However, as with any medical procedure, there are potential risks including:
Most patients remain in the hospital for one or two days following surgery and are able to return to work or other daily activities in about three weeks. Patients follow a modified diet as their body adjusts to the smaller stomach, starting with liquids and progressing to soft foods and then solid foods.
Following reflux surgical procedures, about 95% of patients are symptom-free and no longer require medication. About 85% of patients remain medication-free for the next 10 years. Vitamin supplements are needed on a long-term basis to ensure proper nutrition.
Medicare and most commercial insurance plans cover costs for anti-reflux surgery. Each insurance carrier has different specifications, and most will require a documented diagnosis from your doctor. Speak with both your doctor's office staff and your insurance provider to determine the specifics of your plan coverage.
Gastric bypass is a proven surgical procedure for patients living with obesity and severe GERD symptoms. If reflux is affecting your quality of life, it's time to speak with your physician about options that can relieve your pain and discomfort and provide freedom from daily prescription medication.
For a referral to a reflux surgeon, please complete the form below. You may then proceed to enter your insurance information. If you don't have your insurance information ready, you will receive an email with a link to the referral request form that you can submit later at your convenience.