Got GERD? Six GERD Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
Eittel E. Oppenheimer, MD, a board-certified gastrointestinal surgeon in the University of Florida Department of Surgery, provides an expert’s perspective on…

Anti-reflux surgery is a treatment for acid reflux, also known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). GERD is a condition in which food or stomach acid comes back up from your stomach into the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube from your mouth to the stomach.
Reflux often occurs if the muscles where the esophagus meets the stomach do not close tightly enough. A hiatal hernia can make GERD symptoms worse. It occurs when the stomach bulges through this opening into your chest.
Symptoms of reflux or heartburn are burning in the stomach that you may also feel in your throat or chest, burping or gas bubbles, or trouble swallowing food or fluids.
Fundoplication; Nissen fundoplication; Belsey (Mark IV) fundoplication; Toupet fundoplication; Thal fundoplication; Hiatal hernia repair; Endoluminal fundoplication; Gastroesophageal reflux - surgery; GERD - surgery; Reflux - surgery; Hiatal hernia - surgery
The most common procedure of this type is called fundoplication. In this surgery, your surgeon will:
Surgery is done while you are under general anesthesia, so you are asleep and pain-free. Surgery most often takes 2 to 3 hours. Your surgeon may choose from different techniques.
OPEN REPAIR
LAPAROSCOPIC REPAIR
ENDOLUMINAL FUNDOPLICATION
Before surgery is considered, your health care provider will have you try:
Surgery to treat your heartburn or reflux symptoms may be recommended when:
Anti-reflux surgery is also used to treat a problem where part of your stomach is getting stuck in your chest or is twisted. This is called a para-esophageal hernia.
Risks of any anesthesia and surgery in general are:
Risks of this surgery are:
You may need the following tests:
Always tell your provider if:
Before your surgery:
On the day of your surgery:
Your surgeon will tell you when to arrive at the hospital. Be sure to arrive on time.
Most people who have laparoscopic surgery can leave the hospital within 1 to 3 days after the procedure. You may need a hospital stay of 2 to 6 days if you have open surgery. Most people can return to normal activities in 4 to 6 weeks.
Heartburn and other symptoms should improve after surgery. Some people still need to take medicines for heartburn after surgery.
You may need another surgery in the future if you develop new reflux symptoms or swallowing problems. This may happen if your stomach was wrapped around your esophagus too tightly, the wrap loosens, or a new hiatal hernia develops.
Jhu J, Oelschlager BK. Esophagus: surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. In: Cameron J, ed. Current Surgical Therapy. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:3-80.
Katz PO, Dunbar KB, Schnoll-Sussman FH, Greer KB, Yadlapati R, Spechler SJ. ACG clinical guideline for the diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2022 ;117(1):27-56. PMID: 34807007 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34807007/.
Richter JE, Vaezi MF. Gastroesophageal reflux disease. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 46.
Yates RB, Oelschlager BK, Pellegrini CA. Gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 43.
Eittel E. Oppenheimer, MD, a board-certified gastrointestinal surgeon in the University of Florida Department of Surgery, provides an expert’s perspective on…
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, may have links to esophageal cancer. GERD is a condition in which stomach acid leaks into your esophagus, or food…