Gastro esophageal Refux Disease (GERD) is defined as the failure of the antireflux barrier, allowing abnormal reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. It is a mechanical disorder which is caused by a defective lower esophageal sphincter, a gastric emptying disorder or failed esophageal peristalsis.

Medical therapy is the first line of management. Esophagitis will heal in approximately 90% of cases with intensive medical therapy. However, symptoms recur in more than 80% of cases within one year of drug withdrawal. Since it is a chronic condition, medical therapy involving acid suppression and/or pro-motility agents may be required for the rest of a patient's life. Nissen fundoplication is a safe and effective treatment for GERD when medical management fails.

Nissen fundoplication has emerged as the most widely accepted procedure for patients with normal esophageal motility. Two surgical techniques are employed to perform Nissen fundoplication: open surgery or laparoscopic surgery. In open surgery we make a 6- to 10-inch incision in the middle of the abdomen, from just below the ribs to the umbilicus. If the patient has a hiatal hernia, that is repaired first and then the surgeon performs the procedure.

Yes; This problem is quite common in infants and child as well. Most of the time in infants it results due to faulty feeding techniques.

All variants in the Gaviscon family begin to work quickly. Gaviscon Liquid has the advantage of very rapid onset of action, generally within just a few minutes. Gaviscon Acid Breakthrough Formula begins to form a foam barrier within seconds.

Gastroesophageal refers to the stomach and esophagus (or "food pipe"). Reflux means to flow back or return. Therefore, gastroesophageal reflux is the return of the stomach's contents back up into the esophagus.

Each year there are nearly 15,000 new cases of oesophageal cancer in the USA, nearly 1500 in Canada, nearly 1200 in Australia and 6,000 in the UK. Some countries, such as Turkey, China, India and South Africa have very high rates of this type of cancer. Even within Europe there is a wide variation. The rate in the UK and Ireland is ten times higher than in Greece and Spain.

Early oesophageal cancer does not cause any symptoms, which means that most cases are quite advanced when diagnosed. By far the most common symptom of oesophageal cancer is difficulty swallowing, often with the feeling that the food is getting stuck in the throat. Other, less common symptoms include persistent hiccups or coughing, weight loss, indigestion and vomiting.

There is no routine screening for oesophageal cancer, but people who have a high risk (eg people with Barrett's oesophagus) should have an endoscopic examination every year (see below).

The main technique used for diagnosis is called endoscopy. Under sedation, a thin fibre-optic tube (the endoscope) is passed down the throat. The inside of the oesophagus is lit up and photographed. Any growths can be spotted relatively easily by this method. A type of endoscope which can take a small sample of the oesophageal lining (a biopsy) is often used. Sometimes, a barium meal is used instead of endoscopy.

Surgery is the main form of treatment for oesophageal cancer. For early cancers that have not spread, the surgeon removes the section of the oesophagus with the cancer. Usually the remaining part of the oesophagus is reconnected to the stomach. However, if the cancer has spread, part of the stomach may have to be removed as well, so the shortened oesophagus is connected to a smaller stomach.

When the valve found at the lower end of the esophagus is dysfunctional, it allows the acidic content of the stomach to be regurgitated. Heartburn is a common problem in today's world. Acid reflux, gastric reflux, GERD, (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) are the many names heartburn has been given. Even though they all share many of the same traits, There are two trends of thought on how to stop heartburn.

In recent studies, patient's reflux problems have improved after LAP-BAND® System surgery. However, some patients may experience reflux during the early stages of their recovery. No, unlike most other forms of bariatric surgery, the LAP-BAND® System is not a malabsorptive procedure so your body's ability to metabolize vitamins and nutrients will not be affected.

Reflux means that stomach acid and juices flow from the stomach back up into the tube that leads from the throat to the stomach (esophagus). This causes heartburn. When you have heartburn at least 2 times a week, it is called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Eating too much or bending forward after eating sometimes causes heartburn and a sour taste in the mouth. But having heartburn from time to time doesn't mean you have GERD.

Please go to our "links" page, where we maintain an updated Internet guide to web sites concerning GERD. What Is Reflux | Treating Acid Reflux | How to Use Bedge | Order a Bedge | E-Mail Us | FAQ's | GERD Links | Home

Reflux causes laryngitis and over an extended period of time may lead to cancer. The acid associated with reflux is very caustic to the vocal cords. It comes up the esophagus, burning the delicate tissue of the vocal cords. Chronic reflux can cause damage to the vocal cords. We adapt to this damage (bio-mechanically) with changes in the way we product voice and use our voices. Reflux can actually be an underlying medical problem associated with on going voice problems and vocal injuries.

In normal digestion, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens to allow food to pass into the stomach and closes to prevent food and acidic stomach juices from flowing back into the esophagus. Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when the LES is weak or relaxes inappropriately, allowing the stomach's contents to flow up into the esophagus. The severity of GERD depends on LES dysfunction, as well as the type and amount of fluid brought up from the stomach and the neutralizing effect of saliva.

Heartburn medications control acid production in the stomach so that symptoms related to acid reflux don't occur, but these medications don't fix the anatomic cause of GERD. For example, if the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) that normally stops stomach acid from flowing back into the esophagus is weak and stays open, acid from the stomach can push back into the esophagus, causing heartburn. The LES is strengthened after the minimally invasive surgery corrects the anatomical cause of GERD.

They may be. Although other reflux symptoms are more common, unexplained persistent sore throat, hoarseness, and/or cough may be secondary symptoms of GERD.