Low Country Reflux Center

Our Board-Certified surgeon, specially trained in minimally invasive foregut and bariatric surgery has extensive experience with performing multiple types of foregut procedures to include complicated revisional surgery.

Indications for Surgical Referral

  • Persistant heartburn despite medication
  • Regurgitation
  • Barretts esophagus
  • Hiatal hernia with symptoms
  • Large hiatal hernia or paraesophageal hernia
  • Concerned about side effedts of PPIs
  • Desire to discontinue PPIs
  • Dysphagia or Schatzki’s ring
  • Symptoms consistent with LPR

LINX® Reflux Surgery

LINX® is a procedure desired to restore the loss of function of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

General Procedure

This procedure involves implanting a device that mimics the function of the LES. Using minimally invasive technique, a string of magnets is placed around the esophagus and then joined together. The new magnetic ring creates a new sphincter that eliminates acid reflux. LINX varies from traditional surgeries for acid reflux, such as fundoplications, which change the patient’s anatomy to create a new sphincter to control reflux.

Advantages

  • No changes are made to the patient’s anatomy.
  • Diet modification is not required
  • Patients can still perform functions like belching and vomiting

Disadvantages

  • Difficulty swallowing my occur after the procedure
  • The procedure requires anesthesia

A fundoplication is a procedure that involves wrapping the upper part of the stomach around the esophagus to create a valve replicating an esophageal sphincter.

General Procedure

A TIF procedure occurs without surgical incisions to the stomach. The physician enters through the mouth and uses a special device to move the top part of the stomach up around the esophagus. As a result, a new esophageal sphincter is created.

Advantages

  • Does not involve any incisions
  • Lower risk for surgical site infection
  • No long term dietary modification required
  • No implantable devices

Disadvantages:

  • TIF may not be as tight as a traditional fundoplication
  • Although typically an outpatient procedures, an overnight stay is possible after undergoing the TIF procedure
  • Long-term durability of TIF beyond 10 years has yet to be determined

Fundoplication, or anti-reflux surgery, is often used to reduce acid reflux symptoms. A fundoplication involves wrapping the upper part of the stomach around the esophagus and sewing it into place. The area sewn creates a narrow passage that serves as an anti-reflux valve

Multiple types of fundoplication procedures exist:

  • Nissen fundoplication wraps a portion of the upper stomach entirely around the esophagus to create an anti-reflux valve.
  • Dor and Toupet fundoplications are known as partial fundoplications. In these procedures, the stomach is wrapped ½ to ¾ of the way around the esophagus to create an anti-reflux valve.

Benefits

  • Improves symptoms and damage done to the esophagus

Cons

  • Fundoplication surgery changes your natural anatomy, which may cause unpleasant side effects.
  • Patient is advised to eat smaller, more frequent meals long term
  • Patients may have increased bloating due to difficulty belching

Additional Reflux Materials