If you've been considering Hiatal Hernia surgery, you've likely been told that surgery has a very high success rate and that you can expect to no longer need your PPI (antacid medication), and there are no long term side effects.

Surgery is always a risk, but the outcomes sound pretty good when you consider what you are told in the main.

Study from 2001 published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) entitled "Long-term outcome of medical and surgical therapies for GERD". The objective of the researchers was to determine exactly what the title states: Long-term outcomes of medicine vs surgery.

The first outcome was surprising when it came to post-surgery patients. 92% of the patients taking a PPI continued to take it regularly - not surprising, but was not expected was that 62% of post-surgery patients needed to take an antacid regularly. Regularly, not occasionally. And 62% - that does not align with the promises made to patients regarding surgery outcomes.

As part of the study patients filled out symptom score and also had endoscopies performed. The symptom scores of the surgery patients were better than that of the medical group, but the grade (degree) of esophagitis and strictures found were no different between the two groups. This means that the amount of reflux even in the post-surgical group was enough to continue damage to their esophagus.

Patients were followed for up to 140 months (11.66 years) and the survival rate of the surgical group was lower than that of the medical (PPI) group. It was significant - 1.57-fold increased risk of death in the surgical group, predominantly from heart disease.

The conclusion of the researchers was this: "Antireflux surgery (Hiatal hernia surgery) should not be advised with the expectation that patients will no longer need PPIs or that the procedure will prevent esophageal cancer". Patients with GERD and Barrett's esophagus are at an increased risk of esophageal cancer - which is fortunately rare as it's a deadly cancer.

Don't worry. There's an alternative - get to the root cause of the reflux and handle that completely so there is no more reflux and the stomach and esophagus can heal and there's no more need for medication, let alone surgery.  Our program is natural and drug-free. We have a high success rate when we determine that someone is a good fit for what we do.

If you've been considering surgery but you don't have a large hiatal hernia, consider your options and take heed of the side effects of surgery. Surgery is not a quick fix and its success rates are overall unsatisfactory.

If you'd like assistance we're here for you. Call us for a consultation: call 72-335-0400.

#hiatalhernia #acidreflux #rootcausemedicine