Getting Relief from Reflux

November 02, 2016
Human Body Organs (Stomach Anatomy).

If you’re among the many people suffering with chronic heartburn and acid indigestion, you can now find individualized evaluation and treatment at the Comprehensive Reflux Center at Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center. The new center offers a highly skilled medical team and advanced equipment, with a focus on minimally invasive procedures.

“Gastrointestinal reflux occurs when stomach acid enters the esophagus where it’s not supposed to be,” says gastroenterologist Vijay Jayaraman, MD. Aside from being extremely uncomfortable, if left untreated reflux can also potentially lead to more serious problems, including esophageal cancer. Advanced testing, such as wireless pH monitoring to assess the frequency and duration of symptoms, helps ensure an accurate diagnosis.

Dr. Jayaraman says that non-surgical alternatives, such as medication, can be effective in treating most people. If additional care is needed, the focus should be on minimally invasive procedures. Having access to modern care proved life- changing for Jay Kennedy, a patient at the Comprehensive Reflux Center, who first felt the discomfort of acid reflux decades ago. “It’s a horrible feeling,” he remembers. Jay was diagnosed with a precancerous disorder called Barrett’s esophagus, which occurs when the tissue of the esophagus lining is replaced by tissue similar to the intestine lining.

Dr. Jayaraman treated Jay’s condition endoscopically with radiofrequency heat ablation to kill precancerous and cancerous cells. This causes the esophagus tissue to revert back to normal and eliminates the risk of cancer. “The results are terrific,” Jay says. “It’s unique to have these capabilities and equipment all under one roof,” Dr. Jayaraman says of the resources at the Comprehensive Reflux Center. “The more we can do minimally invasively, the better it is for the patient.”

Visit the Comprehensive Reflux Center online >

Call the Comprehensive Reflux Center patient information line at 702-835-9857 with questions or to make an appointment.