Cooling off heartburn for good
By the time Mary Anne Brydges visited
Miguel DeLeon, MD, a Virtua laparoscopic surgeon, her symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were unbearable. Dr. DeLeon says: "Mrs. Brydges' acid reflux disease was so severe, that eating even a few bites of pizza triggered an attack of indigestion, a condition she had lived with since she was 14."
What's disturbing is that this type of chronic GERD-induced irritation can promote cellular changes in the esophageal lining and lead to Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition that can develop into esophageal cancer. It can also cause alarming conditions like chest pain that feels like a heart attack, or pneumonia if stomach contents are inhaled into the lungs.
More common GERD symptoms include a burning sensation in the chest, known as heartburn; a bitter taste in the mouth; hoarseness; and even vomiting.
Virtua general surgeon
Christopher Boynton, MD, explains why GERD can cause such severe symptoms: "Acid reflux occurs when the esophageal sphincter, the muscle between the stomach and the esophagus, doesn't function properly. Gastric juices, the highly acidic liquids that help digest our food, regurgitate or flow backward into the esophagus, mouth or even the lungs causing very unpleasant symptoms."
Fifty-something Brydges has suffered with GERD for decades and found that medications were no longer working. Dr. DeLeon recommended that she undergo a procedure called a fundoplication or stomach wrap. In this procedure, the surgeon literally wraps the uppermost portion of the stomach around the lower portion of the esophagus. In a sense, the wrap replaces the malfunctioning valve between the esophagus and the stomach and works to prevent reflux and its unpleasant symptoms.
Fortunately for Brydges, Dr. DeLeon was able to perform the procedure using an advanced minimally invasive technique. Instead of making one large incision, he made five tiny incisions, each about one-fifth of an inch long. He inserted a tiny camera into one of the incisions to aid visualization during the procedure. Then he inserted tiny surgical instruments into the others to create the wrap. In most cases, patients recover faster from a minimally invasive fundoplication and get back to normal much quicker. Brydges exclaims: "Now, I don't take any medication. I can eat what I want for the first time in years."
Do you or a family member suffer from GERD? For an appointment with a Virtua physician, call
1-888-Virtua-3. An experienced Call Center representative will stay on the line with you and help you make an appointment.