Question: When is Fundoplication Performed?
Answer:
The doctor may recommend fundoplication when a patient has one of the following symptoms:
- Severe heartburn / acid reflux
- Severe inflammation of the esophagus that has been caused by the backflow of stomach contents (erosive esophagitis)
- There is a narrowing of the esophagus because it has been damaged by acid reflux (esophageal stricture)
- A hiatal hernia where the upper part of the stomach slides up through the opening in the diaphragm and doesn't drop back down (para-esophageal hernia)
- Chronic inflammation in the lungs, such as pneumonia, caused by inhaling gastric fluids that have backed up into the throat
Related Resources:
Sources:
"Heartburn Or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)" American College of Gastroenterology. 25 Nov 2007.
"Heartburn, Hiatal Hernia, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)" NIH Publication No. 03 07-0882 May 2007. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). 25 Nov 2007.
