Acid Reflux CureSpecialized, Minimally Invasive ProcedureCorrects Acid Reflux Problems

Eating a normal meal or just enjoying a beverage used to be a problem forDawn Carswell. For years she suffered from chronic heartburn as the resultof gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD.

“At one point in time, it didn’t matter what I ate or drank. It could be aglass of water and I would get acid reflux,” said Carswell.

With GERD, the sphincter muscle at the bottom of the esophagusdoesn’t function normally. Thus stomach acid and contents back up intothe esophagus causing irritation and pain. In Carswell’s case, she also suffered from a hiatal hernia which resulted in a large bulge between herstomach and esophagus.

“I would eat something and then I would have a reaction, and it wouldbe ‘Oh my gosh, I’m sick, and what am I going to do?’” she said.

“That is indeed a symptom of gastric reflux,” said Dr. King Ang, chief ofsurgery at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital of the Detroit Medical Center. “Theburning, the coughing, the aspiration – some people even experiencehoarseness of voice,” he added.

Something had to be done.Carswell was skeptical of traditional open surgery which requires a long

incision and leaves a predominant scar. Not to mention a seven-to-ten-daystay in the hospital and four to six weeks of recovery time. However, Dr.Ang determined that she was a good candidate for a highly specialized,minimally invasive procedure called Nissen Fundoplication. Dr. Ang is oneof only a few surgeons in the countrytrained to perform it.

Nissen Fundoplication involves wrap-ping part of the stomach around the loweresophagus. This strengthens the muscu-lar valve between the two body parts andprevents the backflow of acid and foodfrom the stomach into the esophagus.

Utilizing specialized instruments, Dr.Ang performed the procedure – sewing and tying tissue -- through tinyopenings he made in Carswell’s abdomen. The benefits of the procedurewere amazing for Carswell. Not only were her acid reflux problems cured,she spent only a few days in the hospital and underwent a week of recov-ery before returning to normal activity.

According to Dr. Donald Weaver, chief of surgery at the Detroit MedicalCenter, “I think the future of surgery is definitely going to be smaller andsmaller incisions with more technology employed to accomplish thingswe’ve done for decades,” he said.

Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital is one of nine hospitals that comprise theDetroit Medical Center where 270 of our doctors are ranked amongAmerica’s very best physicians. Is the Nissen Fundoplication performedthere a healthcare revolution? Maybe. We just think it’s a better way to getbetter. For more information or to schedule an appointment at any DMCfacility, call 1-888-DMC-2500.

Acid Reflux CureVideo Description:A minimally invasive procedure with aname that’s difficult to say, “NissenFundoplication,” cures acid reflux withoutresorting to a large abdominal incision. Italso decreases recovery time.

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