Reflux Surgery in the NHS
Reflux Surgery in the NHS used to be more common than it is today. With the advent of PPI medication, which is both safe and effective for many people, there has been a decline in surgery over the years.
There remain however tens of thousands of people who experience severe reflux symptoms on a daily basis, many of whom would benefit from surgery. These are the people whose reflux is caused by a physical defect at the lower oesophageal sphincter that can be fixed with surgery.
Recent figures show that fewer than 5,000 reflux surgery procedures are being done in the NHS each year and that number looks set to fall lower as the NHS is forced to prioritise treatments in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic. You will have read about the long surgery waiting lists that the NHS is currently contending with.
The drop in reflux surgery numbers is especially unfortunate because for many it could offer a complete resolution of their symptoms, and a massive improvement in quality of life. For those who experience severe reflux symptoms every day and who have been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia, outcomes from surgery are especially good.
The surgical options for reflux treatment are LINX®️, Fundoplication and for obese patients gastric bypass.
If reflux is impacting on your quality of life and you’d like to explore your treatment options, we’d be pleased to see you for a private consultation. You can do this using the form below.
