Acid Reflux Surgery

The highly trained medical team at Piedmont Medical Center provides acid reflux surgery in Rock Hill, SC. Fundoplication is a procedure that is used to treat gastroesophageal conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Patients who experience heartburn that doesn’t go away with medication or lifestyle changes are common candidates for this procedure, but it is also an option for patients who have severe inflammation of the esophagus, a narrowing of the esophagus not caused by cancer, or Barrett’s esophagus, a change in the cells that occurs because of acid reflux.

During a fundoplication, the upper stomach is wrapped around the lower esophagus. This surgery can be performed using one of two methods: open or laparoscopic. An open procedure is performed with one big incision in which the surgeon is directly touching the parts of the body that they are working on. A laparoscopic fundoplication is performed by making a few small incisions and then using a laparoscope that has a camera and tools attached to it to perform the surgery. The procedure can be performed by entering either the abdomen or the chest, with the chest approach often being used for patients who are overweight or have a short esophagus. The laparoscopic approach to fundoplication is less invasive and has a shorter recovery time than open surgery.

A doctor may not recommend this surgery until the patient has tried other treatments, home remedies, or lifestyle changes to treat their acid reflux. This includes losing weight, a diet change to remove food or drinks that can cause acid reflux, taking medications to treat conditions that contribute to acid reflux such as insulin for diabetes, or taking medications that can help to strengthen the stomach muscles or esophagus.