UAE doctors offer surgery to treat acute acid reflux

Dubai: Do you suffer from chronic acidity? Or a constant sense of heartburn? Worse still, does some of the food you consume threaten to reflux back into your throat and mouth?

If the answer is yes, you could well be suffering from a condition called acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux. Its symptoms range from heartburn and regurgitation to full-fledged vomiting and painful swallowing. The reflux of stomach acid can adversely affect the vocal cords too, or even be inhaled into the lungs, leading to lung infections.

Treatment for reflux involves medicines to reduce the gastric acid. Doctors also advise patients to make lifestyle changes, avoid certain kinds of foods, avoid large and late meals, lose weight, keep their head raised while sleeping, stop smoking and get on an exercise regimen. Despite these changes, the symptoms tend to persist in chronic cases.

The good news, however, is that the condition can now be surgically treated in the UAE. Dr Jose-Luis Gallego, consultant general surgeon at Mediclinic Welcare Hospital, one of the doctors in the country to conduct the operation, said: “Surgery is common in the West but not here. We are now encouraging chronic patients to consider this option as the outcome is very good.”

The operation takes about an hour-and-a-half with the patient able to go home the same day.

South African Dubai resident Ellen, 46, who went under Dr Gallego’s knife last month, said it has made a world of difference to her. “I would vomit every time I ate. I tried everything but nothing worked. That’s when I heard of the surgery and decided to go in for it.” The surgery cost Ellen Dh35,000. “But thankfully, I am insured.”