Stop Acid Reflux Blog

The most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is heartburn. It is something about 40 million Americans experience on a weekly basis.

Background: The most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is heartburn. It is something about 40 million Americans experience on a weekly basis. Heartburn is caused when acidic stomach juices flow backward into the esophagus. This typically occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter, which is the natural valve that keeps stomach acid in the stomach and out of the esophagus, relaxes inappropriately. That relaxation exposes the esophagus to the harsh acid from the stomach. In some GERD patients, heartburn may be accompanied by other GERD symptoms, such as regurgitation of gastric contents into the mouth, chest pain and difficulty swallowing. Pulmonary manifestations, such as asthma, coughing or intermittent wheezing and vocal cord inflammation with hoarseness, occur in some GERD patients.

Treatment: Heartburn patients often take antacids to relieve symptoms. Liquid antacids tend to work better because they coat the esophagus and immediately neutralize the acid. Patients with constant heartburn who want the most effective medicine to suppress acid production should take a type of medicine called a proton pump inhibitor. There’s an over-the-counter version as well as about that other prescription medicines. These medicines are very effective at suppressing gastric acid so eliminate gastric acid but don’t’ keep people from refluxing gastric contents. Surgery can help patients, but many do not want to undergo such a drastic measure.

New treatment: There is a new option for patients that lies somewhere between medication and surgery. It actually replicates what is done in surgery and can be done on an outpatient basis in 30 minutes. It’s an endoscope procedure called the Plicator. The first step fo the procedure is to insert a guide wire. Then, doctors make dilation of the esophagus. An implant is released between the stomach and esophagus with a suture. The effects can be reversed if the patient so desires in the future.

Candidacy: Alfonso Torquati, M.D., an abdominal surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, says any patient who suffers from GERD can have the procedure. Patients, however, who are in the early stages of the disease and seem to be doing well on medication should not be considered for the procedure.

Under Study: The procedure is being studied in an international trial. Dr. Torquati says researches need to prove that the device is a good treatment for GERD and that it is something insurance companies would want to cover.

(info from http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=health&id=3656542)