A significant portion of people who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or other reflux-related conditions do not find relief from medication. If you are frustrated with ongoing symptoms of pain or discomfort, you may find long-lasting relief from a surgical option tailored to treat the specific cause of your condition.
The experienced physicians affiliated with Memorial Hermann are uniquely qualified to identify the condition that is causing your reflux and recommend an innovative, minimally invasive surgical option to provide the improvement you need.
Here are the answers to many commonly asked questions about reflux surgery.
For most people, periodic reflux is not a big concern. However, some people experience chronic reflux that causes irritation and may lead to inflammatory conditions including esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus or other progressive diseases that require specialized treatment. People who experience ongoing reflux may encounter damage to parts of the intestinal system that may even lead to certain types of cancer.
The good news is that for most of the people who suffer from chronic reflux, there is a cure. Many people are not familiar with reflux surgery, and mistakenly believe that antacid or proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications are the only options. When those fail, patients may think that they just have to live with the pain and discomfort. Not only is this untrue, but it can be dangerous to allow chronic reflux to cause significant damage to the esophagus, stomach or other intestinal organs.
If you have ongoing reflux symptoms like heartburn, indigestion, difficulty swallowing, persistent burping or vomiting, you should schedule an appointment to see your doctor. It is not uncommon to experience periodic heartburn after a large meal, but if symptoms are persistent and antacids do not provide relief, it may be a sign that something more serious is happening.
When PPIs don't provide relief from reflux symptoms, it may be due to a variety of factors including:
Different surgical procedures are appropriate for different conditions. Once your physician has diagnosed the underlying cause of chronic reflux, an effective surgical procedure can be recommended to provide lasting relief.
Reflux surgery is appropriate for patients who have uncontrolled symptoms that negatively affect their health or quality life. Patients with the following conditions may benefits from the long-lasting effects of reflux surgery:
If you have significant reflux symptoms, you should be evaluated by your physician who may recommend an endoscopy to determine the exact cause of your problem. Based on the result of the endoscopy, your physician may recommend a specific type of reflux surgery.
In most cases, reflux surgery is still an option after a previous gastric sleeve procedure. Each patient is unique, and your physician can determine whether or not you are a candidate for reflux surgery to treat your specific diagnosis.
Laparoscopic Fundoplication, hiatal hernia repair and the POEM procedure are all minimally invasive surgical options that are usually performed in an outpatient setting with quick recovery and little downtime. Gastric bypass has a longer recovery time and may produce additional gastrointestinal side effects.
For more patients, reflux surgery provides better and longer-lasting results than medication. 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.
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 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.