What is a Fundoplication Surgery?
Fundoplication surgery is done to treat Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).
GERD is a digestive disease also known as Acid Reflex in which digestive juices or acids from the stomach flow into the food pipe (esophagus). In normal condition, a special valve present at the bottom of the food pipe and near its entry into the stomach prevents such reverse flow. But if this valve malfunctions it triggers GERD.
What are symptoms of GERD or Acid Reflex?
The reverse flow of digestive acids in food pipe causes its irritation and permanently damaging tissue there.
The main symptom of GERD is severe heartburn felt behind the chest bone. Such pain worsens after lying down or bending over or eating food.
Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting bad breath, trouble or pain while swallowing or breathing.
How GERD is treated by doing Fundoplication Surgery?
Surgery begins with giving patient general anesthesia which makes him completely unconscious during the surgery.
Four Incisions of 5-10 mm diameter are made in abdominal wall.
Through these incisions a special tube viz. cannula is inserted. Through cannula, Carbon Dioxide is pumped into the abdomen causing it to inflate. This inflated abdomen helps the surgeon to reach the location and gives space to perform surgery.
The laparoscope is inserted through incisions to monitor and navigate internal organs precisely.
The surgeon pulls the upper part of stomach i.e. fundus, circumvents it around the bottom of the food pipe and sews it. This exerts the necessary pressure on the bottom of the food pipe preventing reverse flow of the acids.
Finally, incisions are cleaned, closed and dressed.
How longer does one need to stay in the hospital after Fundoplication Surgery?
This laparoscopic surgery requires very short hospital stay which may extend to ---- days.
Full recovery from surgery takes about four to six weeks.