Fundoplication Acid Reflux Surgery

The purpose of fundoplication surgery is to stop stomach acid from being refluxed back up to the esophagus and damaging it, thus hopefully providing time for the esophagus to heal. To perform this procedure the surgeon will take the top portion of the stomach and wrapped it around the esophagus.

It is then stitched together so the lower section of the esophagus passes through a channel of stomach muscles. This is done to strengthen the valve that is the gateway between the stomach and esophagus.

The symptoms a patient usually experiences prior to this surgery are the following; acid reflux disease, heartburn, or GERD. It is also done for individuals that have a hiatus hernia.

The other reasons this surgery is preformed are the following; the patient is suffering from the side affects of the drugs used to treat acid reflux, the drugs are not working as prescribed or your symptoms have not improved significantly with the drugs.

A general anesthetic is utilized during the operation and you will be asleep until it is finished. After the procedure is completed you will spend a few days in the hospital recovering and it will take four to six weeks until you will be able to functioning as you did prior to the operation.

Studies have determined that between sixty to ninety percent of the patients that have the surgery there symptoms improve. However, even with a successful surgery there is no guarantee that your symptoms will not return.

In addition, between twenty to thirty percent of the patients that do have the surgery will experience new symptoms after the surgery that they did not have before it was performed. These include, but are not limited to swallowing difficulties, bloating and producing large amounts of intestinal gas.

The risks associated with fundoplication surgery are the following; the stomach is wrapped too high on the esophagus or is wrapped too compactly and this brings about swallowing difficulties. The incisions might become infected or heartburn and gas returns shortly after the surgery.

Studies have determined that twenty to thirty percent of the patients that the surgery is performed on have to return to the medications they used prior to the surgery to reduce the symptoms caused by acid reflux, heartburn and GERD.