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You may have heard of a hernia often, but what is a hiatal hernia? And how do you go about treating it?
A hiatal hernia is a condition in which the top part of the stomach bulges upward through an opening in the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the membrane in your abdomen that separates abdominal organs from the heart and lungs in the chest cavity. Hiatal hernia is a common condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract. It is more common in women than in men. Several treatment options are available for hiatal hernia, with surgery being considered only for severe cases that have not responded well to other treatment modalities.
Here in this article, we will have a detailed look at hiatal hernia and one of its most popular surgery options, laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair. Read on to learn more.
A hiatal hernia is a medical condition in which the top part of the stomach protrudes upwards from the diaphragm opening into the chest.
The esophagus, or food pipe, is an organ that carries food from your mouth to the stomach for digestion. The esophagus travels through a gap in your diaphragm known as the hiatus. When a part of your stomach pushes through this gap into your chest, it is known as a hiatal hernia.
Any age and gender can be affected by hiatal hernia, but it is most commonly observed in people who are 50 or older. There are two types of hiatal hernia:
What causes a hiatal hernia is not exactly clear. However, it is suggested that pressure on the diaphragm, the risk of which may be higher in some people due to certain genetic factors is the major cause. These risk factors include an age above 50, obesity, pregnancy, injury to the diaphragm, surgical procedures involving the food pipe, and an upward force that may occur due to weightlifting, straining for bowel movement, persistent coughing, or vomiting.
Hiatal hernias can be asymptomatic and, most of the time, are left untreated as they cause no problems or complications for the individual. When a hiatal hernia is symptomatic, it is often in the form of heartburn, a burning sensation around the lower chest area as a result of acid moving up from the stomach.
If a hiatal hernia is symptomatic and getting bigger, it is advised to consult a doctor immediately. Different methods exist to treat hiatal hernias depending on their size, severity, and symptoms.
Medications: You could require medication if you develop signs and symptoms like persistent heartburn and acid reflux.
Surgery: Severe cases of hiatal hernia that cause distressing symptoms and disrupt your health may need surgery. Surgery is often reserved for those who have not found relief from heartburn and acid reflux medications, witnessed severe complications or an increase in the size of the hernia, or are dealing with severe inflammation or esophageal narrowing.
Among the surgical options for treating hiatal hernia, laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair surgery is the most commonly used and popular option. It is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed through keyhole incisions and results in negligible bleeding.
In this article, we will learn more about laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair surgery.
Laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair surgery, is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat hiatal hernias. It is also known as laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.
As the name suggests, during a laparoscopic procedure, the surgeon makes several small incisions in the abdomen instead of a large incision. A laparoscope, which is a long, thin tube with a camera and light source at one end, is inserted through one of the incisions. It allows the surgeon to visualize the hernia on a monitor. Surgical tools are inserted through the other small incisions, which allow the surgeon to pull out the herniated portion of the stomach back into the abdominal cavity and repair the hiatus.
The other name for the surgery, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication, suggests that the surgery involves wrapping the upper part of the stomach (called the fundus) around the lower esophagus. This creates a tighter sphincter and prevents the acid reflux from occurring.
After a laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair, the following is expected:
Compared to an open surgery, laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair surgery offers several advantages:
The risks associated with laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair are:
Surgery can be a daunting aspect, and feeling anxious is absolutely normal. The massive amount of information you can get from the internet may confuse you even more. This is where Medfin can help. Leave us the hefty task of finding the best hospital, the finest doctor, and the latest procedure at the lowest cost. Let us take charge while you sit back and focus on your health and recovery. Think surgery! Think Medfin!
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