When other treatment options do not work, acid reflux can often be treated by means of surgery.

Typically, this happens when drug therapy fails, or the patient has severe bleeding and other physical discomforts, that indicate an invasive surgical intervention.

The Nissen fundoplication is the name of the surgical procedure that is performed in the hopes of eliminating the root of the problems presented by acid reflux.

Originally, the Nissen fundoplication was a very lengthy and serious procedure that resulted in a post surgery stay at the hospital of at least one week, not to mention a ten inch scar.

The results were often slow to be seen, and many times, the patient had trouble swallowing. Frequently, symptoms of Acid Reflux appeared to get worse.

In the last 25 years or so, laparoscopic surgery has advanced by leaps and bounds, Problems faced with the traditional operation. Have been ironed out. The overall availability of excellent pathological diagnostic tests has also contributed in a meaningful way, to a better selection of patients for surgery.

The surgery can be compared to what you might do to prevent the contents of a room from being washed away by a typhoon or flash flood.

Surgery is conducted to support and strengthen the Lower Esophageal Sphincter muscle by giving it support from stomach tissue. Since the Lower Esophageal Sphincter is the gateway from the esophagus to the stomach, it is natural to consider stomach tissue , which is then stretched to work around the sphincter, and permanently fixed there, so as to give the required support.

The following step is to return the part of the stomach extending out from underneath the diaphragm, called the hiatal hernia, back to its rightful location. Abdominal pressure is successfully reduced because of correcting any hiatal hernia and supporting the muscles of the esophageal sphincter. The entire procedure protects the body from gastric juice backflows that are usually brought on because of certain combinations of food.

During such surgeries, sometimes, the scarring and ulceration of the Esophageal passage is also treated, Turns out that such surgery gives successful outcomes 95% of the time, to the extent that no medications are later required to be taken, daily by the patient to relieve the now non-existent Acid Reflux!