What is Reflux?
Gastroesophageal reflux, which we call reflux in medical terms, is simply a condition where stomach contents flow back into the esophagus. This disease, which affects 20% of adults, occurs when stomach waste remains in contact with the esophagus for a long time, causing the esophagus to become unable to protect itself from acid.
Symptoms of Reflux
The most common complaints of reflux are as follows:
- Burning in the back of the chest
- Bitter and sour liquid coming into the mouth
- Feeling of belching
- Bloating
- Food particles coming into the mouth
- Difficulty swallowing
Less common symptoms compared to the most common complaints are as follows:
- Hoarseness
- Cough
- Bad breath
- Tooth decay
- Shortness of breath
- Burning in the throat (pharyngitis)
- Sinusitis
- Palpitations, feeling of pressure in the heart
Someone who has these symptoms To make a definitive diagnosis for the patient, a gastroscopy should be performed. Gastroscopy is the gold standard in diagnosing reflux.
Reflux Treatment
There are three approaches to treating reflux: lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery. The choice of method depends on the severity of the disease and the patient’s symptoms.
Lifestyle Modifications
In the treatment of reflux, lifestyle modifications should be made first. By following the doctor’s recommendations, factors causing reflux can be eliminated. Lifestyle adjustments include:
- Sleeping on a high pillow
- Avoiding food before bedtime
- Avoiding acidic drinks
- Avoiding spicy and hot foods
- Losing excess weight if applicable
- Avoiding smoking and alcohol
- Avoiding citrus fruits and tomatoes as much as possible
- Avoiding tight clothing
- Eating a healthy diet
Medication Treatment
Medications used in the treatment of reflux have a suppressive effect. They keep the amount of acid secreted in the stomach under control, thus reducing the amount of stomach acid that rises upwards. Medication treatments are successful in 80% of reflux patients. The downside is that since it does not completely eliminate the reflux problem, the likelihood of recurrence is very high when the medication is stopped. On the other hand, the medications used are not sufficient for bile reflux.
Laparoscopic Reflux Surgery
Reflux, especially when accompanied by a hiatal hernia, significantly reduces the quality of life. The only permanent solution for reflux is reflux surgery. Reflux surgery should be performed if medical treatments are unsuccessful, if long-term medication use is not desired, or if irritations leading to cellular changes in the esophagus are observed. Reflux surgery is performed using a closed method called laparoscopic surgery. Being a closed method, it avoids large incisions, thus allowing the patient to recover faster. In this technique, which is performed by entering through small points of 0.5 and 1 cm without cutting the abdomen, specially manufactured surgical instruments are used. This surgery, which lasts approximately 1 hour, is performed under general anesthesia.
Laparoscopic Reflux Surgery Aftermath
- The patient is able to walk approximately 4-5 hours after the surgery.
- Since it is performed using a closed method, they can go home the next day.
- After going home, they can easily perform their daily tasks.
- For the first week, they should consume liquids and soft foods.
- A follow-up appointment is scheduled after 1 week. A dressing change is performed.
- At the end of the 2nd week, food restrictions are lifted, provided that food is chewed well and eaten slowly.
