Better Surgery Option for Obesity and Acid Reflux

Many people with obesity also suffer from acid reflux, also known as GERD. This condition causes stomach acid to move up into the food pipe, leading to heartburn and discomfort. A new study compared two types of weight-loss surgery to see which works better for people with both obesity and GERD.

The study looked at 80 people who had either a regular sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) or a modified version that includes a wrap-around technique called fundoplication (LSGFD). Both surgeries helped people lose weight. Both reduced waist size and improved health within a year.

But the group that had LSGFD felt much better from their GERD symptoms. Their acid reflux improved more, and the damage to the food pipe (esophagitis) healed more often in this group. This means they had less heartburn, better digestion, and fewer GERD-related problems.

Importantly, this surgery did not increase risk. It gave all the benefits of weight loss while helping with GERD at the same time.

For people with obesity and reflux problems, LSGFD may be the better choice.