Hiatus Hernia and Reflux –Diagnostic Testing and Minimally-Invasive Therapies
The Toll of Heartburn
Most people have experienced heartburn on occasion – after a heavy meal, for example. It is certainly unpleasant, but not concerning in its own right. The situation changes when we are faced with frequent episodes, or very severe heartburn. In these cases, we may be dealing with ‘reflux disease’.
Reflux (literally meaning ‘backflow’) describes how gastric juices travel back up from the stomach into the oesophagus, causing irritation of mucous membranes. In normal anatomy, the oesophagus has a narrowed area just before opening into the stomach, which is pulled closed by the muscles of the oesophagus and the diaphragm. In reflux disease there is a failure of this area to close. There can be different causes for this.
One cause is a diaphragmatic hernia (hiatus hernia). This is where parts of the stomach migrate upwards through the diaphragm into the chest cavity (thorax). However, not all patients with a hiatus hernia will have symptoms. In some cases it remains practically unnoticed for years, or is only discovered as an incidental finding.
Symptomatic hiatus hernias, however, often lead to significant impairment of quality of life. In addition to persistent symptoms of severe heartburn, affected patients often suffer from other issues such as difficulty swallowing, chest pain, a feeling of fullness, nausea, or vomiting. Reflux can also cause complaints such as a dry cough, hoarseness, or asthma attacks, impairing patients’ sleep at night.
Many patients describe having suffered for many years as no concrete cause for their complaints could be identified. This is where comprehensive specialist diagnostic testing can shed light on the situation. If a hiatus hernia is identified as the cause, it can be repaired using surgery. The following pages describe a surgical technique used to reconstruct the natural anatomy of the oesophagus. A very small mesh implant is used for the surgery, specifically developed for this purpose.
Patientenerfahrungen
My diaphragm operation was a complete success. Now I can lead an entirely normal life again, which was impossible before the surgery. I am now living a life free of reflux, and can sleep lying flat, which I was not able to do for a long time. I have made significant gains in terms of quality of life and would absolutely go ahead with the surgery if faced with my original choice again.
I’m eternally grateful to the team.
Straight after the operation, I was symptom-free. On the morning following the procedure I was already fit to go for a long walk. I am delighted with the result! If I had known how great it would be, I would have had the surgery years ago because I had already been suffering with symptoms of the disease for 30 years. Everything went fantastically well, and I am really impressed by the final result.
No destruction of any healthy tissues of the abdomen or any muscles, an almost painless procedure, and immediate improvements seen afterwards: all I had was two small plasters on the tummy. This surgery can really deliver on its promises. I would definitely opt for this surgical approach over other traditional procedures and can only recommend it to other patients with the same disease.