My wife has esophagus reflux. We have heard that there is corrective surgery for this condition.
Could you recommend a surgeon in the vicinity of Austin, TX that performs this type of surgery?
REPLY: -------------------
With the use of powerful drugs to reduce stomach acid, other drugs which increase the rate of gastric emptying, and an overall better understanding of the factors which can further minimize reflux (weightloss, head of bed elevation, dietary changes, etc.) few individuals require surgery for reflux. Has your wife been fully evaluated and treated to the limits of medical therapy? Are all of her symptoms definitely due to reflux? If not, she will not have the improvement in her condition with reflux surgery that she expects.
There is a new surgical procedure for the treatment of reflux which is done laparoscopically in the same fashion that most gallbladder operations are now performed. If surgery is to be done you should seek out a surgeon who has considerable expertise not only with this type of surgery but with this procedure in particular.
If your wife has not seen a gastroenterologist for her reflux I think this may be a good idea. That reflux specialist can help you to be sure of the diagnosis, review other possible causes for symptoms, discuss with you treatment alternatives including surgery, and he/she will be in a good position to refer your wife to a surgeon in your community with the necessary expertise and experience in laparoscopic fundoplication procedures.
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Bruce Sckolnick, M.D.
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