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New Procedure Offers Help To Acid Reflux Sufferers

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Jan 15, 2009 5:09 pm US/Mountain

New Procedure Offers Help To Acid Reflux Sufferers

Written for the Web by CBS4 Special Projects Producer Libby Smith

Reporting
Dr. Dave Hnida
ENGLEWOOD, Colo (CBS4) ― One out of 10 Americans has heartburn on a regular basis. For many of those who suffer the cause of the problem is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or commonly known as acid reflux. Now doctors at Swedish Medical Center are doing a new procedure that corrects the problem in a minimally invasive way.

"It's really exciting technology," said Dr. Reg Bell, a general surgeon at Swedish Medical Center.

Esophyx is a new device that allows doctors to fix the problem that causes acid reflux and rebuild the valve between the stomach and the diaphragm by going through the esophagus.

"Previously, we've had to do it surgically with incisions in the abdomen," added Bell.

It was an invasive surgery that required a good bit of recovery. Now doctors say they can reduce recovery times and completely fix the problem so many patients can come off their acid reflux medications.

"Sometimes I have this full feeling. You feel like something is going on in there," said Dick Gordon, an acid reflux suffer.

Gordon rarely suffers from heartburn, but his acid reflux aggravated his asthma and caused other issues.

"The reflux has caused erosion of my voice box too, so I tend to have a bit of a foggy voice," Gordon added.

He's hoping the Esophyx procedure will ease his chronic cough and asthma flare ups. Gordon is a perfect candidate for the surgery because the damage to his esophagus is not extensive. Doctor Bell was able to rebuild the valve without any problems.

This procedure is designed for people in the early stages of acid reflux allowing more patients to get the problem fixed early on.

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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