New Jersey Acid Reflux GERD Surgery

Gastroesophageal reflux is the most common gastrointestinal disorder in New Jersey. Gallup poles have elucidated that approximately 44 % of the adult population in the U.S. has some abnormal reflux of acidic gastric juices into the esophagus on a monthly basis. Roughly 10% of patients require daily acid suppression medication for relief of symptoms. GERD accounts for over one million out patient visits to physicians every year!

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close properly, and stomach contents splash back, or reflux, into the esophagus. The LES is a ring of muscle located at the far end of the esophagus as it leads into the stomach. It's normal function is to act as a physical barrier between the esophagus and the stomach, protecting the esophagus from harmful gastric acid, and preventing food from being regurgitated. It does this by involuntary tonic contraction. When one eats, food is propelled into the esophagus toward the stomach. It is during swallowing that the LES relaxes and allows passage of food and liquids into the stomach.

When refluxed stomach acid touches the lining of the esophagus, it causes a burning sensation in the chest or throat called heartburn. The fluid may even be tasted in the back of the mouth, and this is called acid indigestion. Occasional heartburn is common but does not necessarily mean one has GERD. Heartburn that occurs more than twice a week may be considered GERD, which can eventually lead to more serious health problems.

Surgical therapy for GERD in New Jersey  has made a sort of resurgence over the last several years, as a result of the introduction of minimally invasive surgery. There is increasing patient and doctor satisfaction with surgical therapy and many more patients and there physicians entertain surgery as an excellent therapeutic option for GERD.

The goals of surgical therapy are identical to those of medical therapy. Patients are considered for surgical therapy of GERD if:

1. Medical therapy fails to control their symptoms despite large doses of PPI, or prevent complications of GERD such as Barret's esophagus (thought to be a precancerous lesion), esophageal stricture (leading to obstruction and inability to eat), ulcer formation, and bleeding.
2. Atypical symptoms persist (asthma, sinusitis, cough, hoarseness, etc...)
3. A patient cannot take mediation because of undesirable side effects, poor compliance, or unwilling or unable to pay for long-term medical treatment. (Annual cost of PPI can be $1200.00) This may prove cost effective to patients, considering presently many insurance companies do not include medication coverage in their policies, but do provide for surgery and hospitalization if indicated.
4. A patient prefers surgery rather than life long medical therapy.