Surgery for GERD

During this surgery, called a fundoplication, your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is re-created by wrapping the top of your stomach around the esophagus. It can sometimes be done with a laparoscope through several small incisions instead of a single long one, as in the traditional open procedure. As a result, there is less pain, a quicker recovery time, a shorter hospital stay, and lower risk of infection.

Lifting the Esophagus

If the opening of the hiatus is too large (hiatal hernia), the doctor may tighten it with a few stitches (sutures). This repairs the hiatal hernia. Then the esophagus is lifted out of the way for a short time

Stomach being wrapped around the esophagus. This added support helps prevent reflux.

The wrap is permanently stitched in place. Two commonly used wraps are full and partial.

Laparoscopic Surgery

• You will be given anesthesia and any other medications through an intravenous tube (called an IV). You will be asleep during surgery.

• Your abdomen will be inflated with carbon dioxide gas to provide more space for your surgeon to see and work. (The gas is removed at the end of surgery.)

• The laparoscope, which has a camera attached, is then inserted through an incision to send images to a video screen. Small surgical instruments are inserted through other incisions.

Open Surgery

• If your surgeon feels it isn’t safe to continue with a laparoscopic procedure once surgery has started, he or she will complete the operation through a larger incision in your chest or abdomen. This is called an open procedure.

• This surgery requires a longer recovery time, up to 1 week in the hospital and from 4–6 weeks at home.