Hiatal Hernia

Description

Hiatal hernia is an anatomic defect by which the part where the esophagus and the stomach meet moves towards the thorax through the esophageal hiatal (opening through which the esophagus enters in the abdomen from the thorax).

Symptoms

Hiatal hernias are normally small and do not cause important symptoms. This disease complicates when gastroesophageal reflux appears (acid of the stomach that goes up to the esophagus) and appear other symptoms such as chronic cough, aphonia and in occasions, respiratory tract problems.
Failing to treat this disease may cause damages to the esophagus such as eso-pharyngitis (swelling or irritation) and in some cases, cause what is called . Barret esophagus, which a potentially cancerous injury.

Treatment

Treatment for hiatal hernia may be medical or surgical. The first approach is medical based on drugs inhibiting the secretion of acids of the stomach therefore controlling the symptoms and damages caused to the esophagus.
If this treatment does not work, the next step if surgery. Surgical intervention is performed with laparoscopy and it is aimed at correcting hiatal hernia and after embracing the esophagus with the stomach to avoid gastric reflux.
The team of medical professionals of CMED has broad experience in this surgical intervention which is preceded by a comprehensive study of each patient to know if they are candidates or not.