How to treat hiatal hernia in Turkey - Bimaristan
Hiatal hernia treatment in Turkey

Hiatal hernia treatment

Hiatal hernia treatment relieves the patient from the annoying symptoms of hernia such as stomach acid reflux into the esophagus and difficulty swallowing, the surgical treatment in Turkey is a definitive treatment for hiatal hernia.

How to treat hiatal hernia

 Hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach ascends up through the natural opening of the diaphragm muscle designated for the passage of the esophagus, meaning that the upper part of the stomach is pushed out of its normal place in the abdomen into the chest cavity.

Hiatal hernia causes the symptoms seen in GERD Heartburn, difficulty swallowing, constant feeling of bloating and satiety.

Hiatal hernia may be small and not accompanied by obvious symptoms, and in such cases there is no need to treat the hiatal hernia and is often discovered by accident during the medical evaluation of another problem.

Hiatal hernia is treated only if it affects the patient's life. There are many treatment methods available, ranging from drug therapy to surgery to repair the hernia.

Choosing the appropriate method of treatment depends on the severity of symptoms, the size of the hernia, and the patient's response to the treatments given to them.

the options of Hiatal hernia treatment are are one of the following:

Drug therapy

Drug therapy is primarily aimed at relieving symptoms and improving quality of life. It does not treat the main issue of a hiatal hernia.

Doctors prescribe antacid drugs to relieve the patient of his symptoms. Attention should be paid to the risks of long-term use of antacids, which may be associated with many side effects.

Surgical treatment in Turkey

If drug treatment fails to manage symptoms, or if the hiatal hernia is so extensive that it causes serious complications, then surgery is needed.

the surgical approach aims to return the stomach to its natural position within the abdomen, in addition to reducing the opening of the diaphragm and rebuilding the lower esophageal sphincter by bending the bottom of the stomach around the esophageal sphincter, which raises the pressure of the sphincter and prevents food from refluxing in the opposite direction.

The process of bending the bottom of the stomach is known as the Nissen fundoplication. The Nissin operation can be performed laparoscopically, where the surgeon resorts to making small surgical incisions to insert a telescope equipped with a camera in addition to surgical tools that help the surgeon to complete the operation. Here's to you Video Explains the process.

The difference that makes laparoscopic surgery better than open surgery is that it is minimally invasive, with fewer complications and a short recovery period.

The surgery is usually Definitive treatment for hiatal hernia where it leads to the disappearance of symptoms permanently, you can contact us To find out more details about the procedure.

Before and after Nissen operation used to treat hiatal hernia and prevent GERD
The image shows fundoplication (Nissen's operation), which is used to prevent GERD during treatment of a hiatal hernia.

Lifestyle change therapy

Lifestyle modifications are an important step in treating a hiatal hernia and relieving symptoms. These modifications include:

  • Reducing the amount of food in one meal (dividing the amount into several meals)
  • Lose weight through exercise
  • Avoid foods that increase heartburn (chocolate, fatty foods, caffeine, mint, garlic, onions)
  • Quit Smoking
  • Avoid lying down immediately after eating
  • It is preferable to raise the front of the bed 45 degrees while sleeping

What are the causes of hiatal hernia?

The most important reason for a hiatal hernia is high pressure in the abdominal area.

Hiatal hernia may occur as a result of other, less common causes, such as an injury to the diaphragm area after a traumatic event or after surgery.

The reason for the occurrence of a hernia may be a congenital deformity of the diaphragm muscle. A child may be born with a deformed diaphragm that contains a large gap.

The most important causes that raise intra-abdominal pressure are:

  • Chronic cough and vomiting
  • constipation
  • Lifting heavy weights
  • Severe pressure during defecation
  • pregnancy

 Types of hiatal hernia

There are two main types of hiatal hernias:

sliding hernia

A sliding hernia occurs when the stomach and part of the lower esophagus that connects to the stomach pushes out of their normal position through the diaphragm.

This pattern is more common and is often asymptomatic or associated with symptoms of GERD.

Rolling hernia

In rolling hernias, both the esophagus and stomach remain in their normal position, but part of the stomach is compressed through the opening of the diaphragm to be located next to the esophagus.

A strangulated hiatal hernia must be treated as soon as possible as it poses a risk of death in the strangulated part of the stomach.

This type is less common than a sliding hernia but is more serious and more concerning than a sliding hernia.

The three types of hiatal hernia and what happens in each type of hiatal hernia
Types of hiatal hernia

Symptoms of hiatal hernia

Many patients with hiatal hernias do not have any symptoms. The appearance of symptoms depends on the severity and degree of the hernia.

Here are the most common symptoms patients may experience:

  • Stomach regurgitation or acid reflux
  • Food or liquids returning to the mouth giving a bad taste sensation (halitosis)
  • dysphagia
  • Frequent bloating and burping
  • Discomfort or pain in the chest or abdomen area
  • shortness of breath
  • Feeling full early when eating
Symptoms of hiatal hernia, which are very similar to the symptoms of GERD
symptoms of hiatal hernia

Diagnosis of hiatal hernia

Several tests are available that can detect the presence of a hiatal hernia. A hiatal hernia is often diagnosed during the search for the cause of chest pain.

Diagnosis of hiatal hernia is made by doing the following:

Barium swallow

The person is given a contrast barium solution, then X-rays are taken of the upper digestive tract, specifically the esophagus, which shows abnormal changes when having a hiatal hernia.

upper endoscopy

It is a thin flexible tube equipped with a camera that is inserted through the mouth in order to examine and view the esophagus and stomach from the inside and to assess the presence of infections or abnormal changes in the upper digestive system.

esophageal motility study

This test helps measure the force of esophageal spasms while eating, as well as the pressure and ability of the lower esophageal sphincter to relax while eating.

When a hernia, a number of pathological changes appear in the esophagus, such as high pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter.

Comparison of normal and hiatal hernia, where the herniated diaphragm rises out of its normal position
Diagram of a hiatal hernia and its comparison with normal

My experience with hiatal hernia

A patient with hiatal hernia tells his story with the disease and how he underwent surgical procedure that enabled him to fully recover from the hiatus hernia and its symptoms. He says:

I have always had unpleasant symptoms that intensify with time and get worse after eating, so I decided to make a visit to the doctor so that I could find out the cause of this discomfort and take the appropriate treatment.

During my visit to the doctor, and after I explained my symptoms, the doctor asked me to do some investigations, such as an x-ray and several other tests. The doctor told me that the reason for my discomfort was the presence of a hiatal hernia.

The doctor offered me several treatment options, such as antacid medication, in addition to the possibility of performing a surgical procedure aimed at treating the hiatal hernia permanently.

I felt a little scared about the surgery, but the doctor recommended it to me because the hiatal hernia that I suffer from is relatively large, so I made the decision to have the surgery and it was put after a few days.

During the surgery, I was put under anesthesia to wake up after the surgery was over. The doctor told me that I should rest for some time in bed and avoid serious physical activities for some time.

After a while of the operation, I felt better and relieved from the symptoms that I was feeling, and I can say that I am Hiatal hernia cured Fully.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most cases of hiatal hernias are asymptomatic, but when the hernia is wide enough, it can be associated with several digestive symptoms and if left untreated, it can lead to serious complications such as a strangulated hernia.

It depends on the method in which the operation is performed. When the operation is performed by endoscopy, the incidence of complications is less compared to open surgery.
 Some possible complications after hiatal hernia surgery are dysphagia, flatulence, nausea and diarrhea.
According to studies, the mortality rate from laparoscopic surgery is very low, estimated at less than 1%.
In most cases that are not accompanied by symptoms, there is no need for treatment. In occasional cases, symptoms can be relieved by making lifestyle modifications such as avoiding eating large amounts of food with one meal. Antacid medications can also be taken to improve the patient's condition. With symptoms that do not respond to drug treatment, surgery is performed aimed at repairing the hernia and alleviating the symptoms or eliminating them completely.
The main signs of a hiatal hernia are:
  • dysphagia
  • Pain in the chest and upper abdomen
  • heartburn
  • Excessive bloating and burping
  • Stomach acid back towards the mouth
Some exercises strengthen the diaphragm to relieve symptoms, including:
diaphragm breathing exercisesThis exercise is done by sitting in a comfortable position and then taking a deep inhale with one hand placed on the chest and the other on the abdomen, and then taking a deep inhale, focusing on the height of the abdomen during the inhale, and then this movement is repeated several times.
squat positionThis exercise is one of the important ways to treat hiatal hernia with exercises, where it is performed by standing with the feet next to each other, raising the arms up and the shoulders facing each other, then bending the knees together downwards as if the person is sitting on an imaginary chair, this movement is repeated for several times and it is preferable to participate With diaphragmatic breathing.
Doctors advise patients with hiatal hernia to eat light, non-acidic foods rich in fiber that contribute to reducing the symptoms of stomach acid reflux, the most important of which are vegetables and fruits such as bananas, carrots and watercress, in addition to parsley and potatoes, in addition to foods containing proteins such as fish, grilled or boiled chicken and tuna without oil.

If you are planning for treatment in Turkey
you can talk to us here.

If you are planning for treatment in Turkey
you can talk to us here.

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