In addition to feeling the urge to vomit frequently, these patients suffer pain and may have difficulty eating. Often, they're misdiagnosed as having an eating disorder or gastroesophageal reflux. But it doesn't take a major incision to perform life-changing surgery to correct this problem. Surgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas are able to treat patients with this condition using laporoscopic techniques. Surgeons make a few small cuts, insert a probe with a tiny video camera into one slit, allowing surgeons to view what they're doing on a monitor.
Small instruments go into other cuts to perform the surgery.
In this surgery, doctors repair the defect in muscles of the esophagus, then wrap a portion of the stomach around the lower part of the esophagus to reinforce it and provide some control. Surgeons have to work with precision to keep the problem from coming back and to prevent reflux. The laporoscopic technique means patients only have to spend a couple of days in the hospital and can return to their ordinary activities quickly. Conventional surgery often requires weeks of recovery time. Other Topics Health Watch is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional.