For people with a hiatal hernia or acid reflux symptoms, surgery can provide a long-term cure and relief. At Penn Hernia Center, our hernia surgeons perform a high volume of minimally invasive hiatal hernia surgeries, with extreme precision and impressive results.
What Is Hiatal Hernia Surgery?
Hiatal hernia surgery can be a long-term cure for persistent heartburn, acid reflux, difficulty swallowing and many other upper gastrointestinal symptoms.
Our surgeons perform almost all hiatal hernia repair surgeries using advanced minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic techniques. Laparoscopic surgery uses thin, flexible tools (with a camera at the tip) inserted through tiny incisions. Surgeons view magnified pictures of internal tissues on a computer monitor to guide their movements. Robotic surgery uses small incisions and robotic instruments controlled by the surgeon.
During hiatal hernia repair surgery, a surgeon:
- Puts you to sleep with general anesthesia.
- Makes multiple tiny incisions in the abdomen.
- Uses high-tech instruments to move protruding stomach tissue back where it should be (beneath the diaphragm muscle).
- Narrows or closes the hole in the diaphragm that created a hiatal hernia using stitches.
- Wraps part of the stomach around the esophagus to rebuild the valve (which stops stomach contents from backing up into the esophagus.)
Hiatal Hernia Surgery: Why Choose Penn Medicine?
People seek out Penn hernia specialists for our specialized surgical skills and deep experience repairing complicated hiatal hernia concerns. Learn more about Penn's esophagus and foregut surgery program.
Our program also features:
- Prominent experts in hernia care: Penn's lineup of surgical specialists includes respected hernia surgeons with decades of experience treating hiatal hernias as well as other types of hernias and esophageal conditions. Many of our surgeons earn "top doctor" awards year after year, illustrating our uncommon surgical skills and high standards of care.
- Specialized expertise in hernia revision surgery: Our surgeons regularly treat patients with complicated hiatal hernias that other centers in the region could not. We perform complex hiatal hernia revision surgeries with exceptional skill and safety.
- Unique approach to hernia care: We are the only hernia center in the region with a multidisciplinary care team. Coordinated services between surgeons and gastroenterologists ensure you receive a comprehensive evaluation and precise treatment.
- Easy access to experts: With several hernia center locations to choose from, you're never far from our world-class hiatal hernia expertise.
- Support for the entire care journey: If you have questions about whether hiatal hernia surgery might benefit you, we can help. Penn's easy-to-use patient portal provides prompt answers to your concerns. You can learn more about the surgical care process in our patient guide to GI surgery.
How to Know If You Need Surgery for a Hiatal Hernia
A hiatal hernia occurs when your stomach pushes through an opening in the diaphragm into your chest. The diaphragm is a layer of muscle tissue that separates the chest from your midsection (abdomen). A hiatal hernia is sometimes called a paraesophageal hernia.
There are many factors that contribute to hiatal hernias. They are most common in older adults who may have weakened muscle tissue. Other risk factors include obesity and chronic conditions (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD) that cause an increase in abdominal pressure.
People with large hiatal hernias often experience gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms like heartburn or acid reflux. They can also have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), regurgitation (spitting up undigested food), bloating, chest pain and symptoms of early satiety (feeling full quickly after meals). These symptoms occur when stomach tissue protrudes through the diaphragm and into the esophagus.
Who Benefits from Hiatal Hernia Repair Surgery?
Many people who have a hiatal hernia do not require surgery. Small hiatal hernias may cause no symptoms. Even most people with larger hiatal hernias that lead to GERD get sufficient symptom relief from medication or lifestyle changes.
Surgery is often recommended for large hiatal hernias that cause serious symptoms that are not controlled with medication. Occasionally these hernias can become emergency operations if the stomach twists and causes an obstruction or ischemia (lack of blood flow) to the stomach. Surgery also benefits people with severe GERD who can't tolerate or prefer not to take medication long-term.
Hiatal Hernia Surgery Recovery
After hiatal hernia repair surgery, we provide compassionate, responsive follow-up care as your body heals. We may check in with you for up to two years to assess your results and offer guidance on how you can stay healthy. Learn more about hernia recovery and rehabilitation at Penn Medicine.
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