Surgery to correct heartburn (laparoscopic nissen fundoplication)

Laparoscopic nissen fundoplication, or surgery to correct heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is necessary when medical or drug treatment fails to control heartburn, the patient doesn’t want to take medication, the sphincter muscle doesn’t work properly, or esophageal cancer develops from GERD. Laparascopic surgery is a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery. Laparoscopic surgery to correct heartburn does not require long, deep incisions and a lengthy recovery period like traditional surgery.

How It’s Done

To perform laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes small incisions of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch and enters the abdomen through tube-like instruments called cannulas. The laparoscope is inserted through the incisions. There is a tiny video camera attached to the laparoscope, giving the surgeon a view of the patient’s internal organs on an external monitor.

The abdomen is expanded by inflating gas into it, and the entire operation is performed inside of the abdomen. Laparoscopic surgery corrects heartburn by reinforcing the valve between the esophagus and the stomach. The upper portion of the stomach is wrapped around the lowest portion of the esophagus. The surgery results in a tighter sphincter, so food cannot reflux back into the esophagus.

Benefits

The benefits of laparoscopic surgery to correct heartburn include:

• little to no scarring
• shortened hospital stay
• less pain
• lower cost
• less downtime
• less risk of infection and bleeding

What to Expect Afterwards

After undergoing laparoscopic surgery for heartburn, 90% of patients are initially cured. According to a UK study, a year after the surgery, only 14% of patients still took medication to treat their heartburn. Laparoscopic surgery for heartburn is thought to improve one’s quality of life. Those with severe heartburn who do not undergo surgery end up taking medication for the rest of their lives. However, it is still uncertain whether the surgery is a permanent cure for heartburn.