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A Surgical Option For Acid Reflux

By: Frank Robson Acid reflux is a problem that stays with someone for life. It's caused by a weak lower esophageal sphincter and allows fluids to rise from the stomach into the esophagus which cause corrosive damage because of the acid content.

In addition to the possibility of developing serious health conditions such as erosive esophagitis, Barretts esophagus, and esophageal cancer, patients afflicted with acid reflux have to deal with the agony of heartburn on a daily basis.

There is light on the horizon, however. There's a new surgical procedure that is starting to get some traction for dealing with acid reflux. It's known as the Plicator procedure and only takes about twenty minutes to complete. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Here is a basic explanation of what happen during the procedure.

- The Plicator, a small electronic device, is place on the end of an endoscopy tube. Endoscopies are procedures wherein a tube gets lowered into the digestive tract through the mouth while the patient is sedated, but conscious.

- Once the Plicator reaches the stomach, it is used to grab the tissue located between the stomach and the esophagus. It then closes its "arms", crimping the tissue. A suture is placed to hold the tissue in place.

- As a result, the area between the stomach and the esophagus now has a much tighter opening. This can aid the lower esophageal sphincter in being able to successfully open and close the passageway between the stomach and the esophagus.

Those who undergo this procedure usually don't experience any unwanted side effects, and are often back to their normal activities the following day. Several studies have been done to measure the effectiveness of the procedure for eliminating heartburn.

These studies showed that prescription heartburn medications could be eliminated in 70% of the patients who had the procedure done. Plus, 80% of the patients who had the procedure done showed improvements in their reflux symptoms afterwards.

The effects of the surgery are seen very quickly. Within several days following the procedure, most people were able to decrease their heartburn medication. Sore throats and abdominal pain occurred in some patients, but only lasted for a few days. If this sounds like a procedure that would help you with your acid reflux, talk to your doctor about it and get their informed advice.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Are you searching for the best acid reflux cure? Find out what you can do to stop the pain of heartburn and other effects at the Reflux Renegade website. Visit www.RefluxRenegade.com for more helpful information.

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