Surgery should always be considered a last resort when dealing with acid reflux. There are many natural and holistic ways to deal with acid reflux symptoms.
All one needs to do is make a few changes to their diet and lifestyle. If these don’t work, then you may purchase over the counter medication and see if that alleviates the pain. If that too doesn’t work, you may consult a doctor and get prescription medication. If that too does not bring relief, then you may consider surgery.
Usually people who have esophagitis which is an extreme inflammation of the esophagus or Barrett’s esophagus (an abnormal change in cells of the lower portion of the esophagus) resort to surgery.
There are a few types of surgical procedures namely open fundoplication, laparoscopic surgery and endoscopic surgery.
Open fundoplication is a more painful procedure and takes a longer time to heal because the doctor will actually make a large cut on the skin to operate. If it’s laparoscopic surgery, smaller incisions are made.
The difference between open fundoplication and laparoscopic surgery is that in open fundoplication, the doctor inserts his hand into the open cavity and performs the surgery. Whereas with laparoscopic surgery, he will only insert the tools inside the abdomen to perform the procedure. Usually, there will not be a scar with this procedure, unlike the former.
The procedure itself wrapping the top part of the stomach around the lower portion of the esophagus and stitching it up. Basically, this procedure tightens the lower esophageal sphincter and this will keep the stomach acids in the stomach and prevent the acids from rising up.
Another method commonly used is known as endoscopy. With endoscopy, no cuts are made and no blood is shed. It’s much less painful and preferred by most patients.
The surgeon will use a long, extremely thin flexible tube that has a light and camera attached. This tube is inserted in the patient’s mouth and pushed all the way into the esophagus. With this tube, the surgeon will be able to locate the problem and see exactly what is wrong on the inside of the esophagus. The tube also is capable of taking tissue samples.
The tube also has a few tools which are used to perform an endoscopic procedure. The end of the esophagus is bound to the top of the stomach and stitched. This procedure is known as an EsophyX system. This system is considered to be one of the latest and most advance methods of treating gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Just like any surgery, there may be side effects. Usually with the above surgeries, the usual side effects are infection, difficulty swallowing due to pain or feeling bloated. The side effects are usually nothing to be alarmed about. Consult your doctor if you’re worried.
The procedures mentioned in this article are brief because going into exact details are beyond the scope of this article. The best person to talk to will be your doctor. However, the most important thing you should understand is that surgery is a last resort. Do give the natural remedies a try first before going under the knife or having a tube inserted down your throat.