Esophageal Acid Reflux Surgery

Esophageal acid reflux surgery is carried out as a treatment for esophageal cancer, acid reflux disease, GERD, heartburn, achalasia, and esophageal diverticula.

An additional situatio n , named Barrett's esophagus is considered precancerous and could require esophageal surgery. Barrett's esophagus comes about from not effectively treating acid reflux disease and letting it to linger and damage the esophagus. Virtually all individuals with Barrett's have GERD, but not all patients with GERD develop Barrett's.

An esophagectomy is the surgical amputation of the esophagus. The esophagus is the slender tube that transports liquid and food from your mouth to your stomach.

A segment of this tube may be causing you trouble because it has narrowed due to scar tissue build up as the esophagus has been damaged over the years the patients experienced GERD but left it un-treated.

According to what section of the esophagus is damaged, it might require all of it to be removed or just a portion. When this is done a section of your stomach or a portion of your bowel will be connected up with the esophagus that remains.

Depending on what is utilized as a substitute for your esophagus, either the stomach or bowel the surgery must heal before you can begin eating again.

Each patient has different needs and this surgery can be performed to meet those needs. In some cases the surgery can be performed with minimally invasive techniques using the robotic surgical system, a laparoscope or video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).