Three Key Questions You Should Ask Your Reflux Surgeon Before You Have Surgery
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Three Key Questions You Should Ask Your Reflux Surgeon Before You Have Surgery
Deciding to have any surgery is a big decision. If you’re suffering from reflux symptoms and think surgery might be the right choice for you, what are the key questions you should ask your reflux surgeon before you decide to go ahead?
What is their experience?
There is a great deal of evidence that the more experience a surgeon has with a procedure or group of procedures, the better the outcome will be and the less likely there will be complications. Ask your surgeon about their experience; how many of the operations have they done? The more the better. How good are their results? Do they know them? What is their re-operation rate? In the case of LINX®️ what is their ex-plant rate? Where else do they operate? It’s not just about the surgeon but the whole team around them. We would suggest that the surgeon should be doing a minimum of 15-20 operations of the type you’re planning to have every year.
How do they decide which operation is right
The key to any successful surgery is what happens beforehand. How is the surgeon reaching the diagnosis? What tests are they using? Are they referring cases to a multi-disciplinary team (MDT)? There are differences in the diagnostic technology in use and your surgeon should have access to the most up to date tests. A multi-disciplinary team is important, especially for the cases that are complex or less straightforward.
What will happen after surgery?
Post-operative care is obviously particularly important, what will happen when you’re discharged from the hospital? Will there be a number to call if you start having difficulties? You should be confident that you know what to expect in the post-op period and what to do if you need advice.
At RefluxUK we are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of reflux symptoms, we have access to state of the art diagnostic tests and one of the most experienced MDTs in the UK. Our surgeons are all authorities in reflux treatment. Please get in touch if you have reflux symptoms.