More than 200 doctors and medical experts from hospitals and medical universities in HCM City have been updated on GERD treatment at a symposium held in HCM City on April 6. — Photo courtesy of Bình Dân Hospital.

HCM CITY — More than 200 doctors and medical experts from hospitals and medical universities in HCM City have been updated on the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) at a symposium held last weekend.

The conference was organised by the HCM City-based Bình Dân Hospital, offering professional reports delivered by leading experts in gastrointestinal surgery at home and abroad on the latest studies in the field.

Trần Vĩnh Hưng, director of Bình Dân Hospital, said GERD is a condition in which changes in the gastroesophageal valve prevent it from closing, allowing stomach juices, including acid and bile, to back up into the esophagus.

The disease is common globally. It occurs in about 20 per cent of American adults, according to a 2022 study.

According to the Việt Nam Internal Medicine Association, about seven million Vietnamese people had GERD in 2022, of which about 60 per cent were not treated promptly, leading to complications such as esophageal stricture and esophageal cancer.

GERD tends to occur in people with obesity, chronic stress, peptic ulcers, unhealthy eating habits, and the use of some medications.

People with GERD can suffer from the symptoms of the disease for life if left untreated.

The disease also causes many discomforts for patients such as sore throat, heartburn, bad breath, persistent cough, breathing difficulty and chest tightness.

However, the above symptoms often overlap in many other diseases of the digestive tract, ear, nose and throat.

Professor Lê Quang Nghĩa of Bình Dân Hospital said GERD causes epigastric burning in 30 per cent of people over 50 years old.

It is the world's leading digestive disorder. The main symptoms are burning and acid reflux.

He said PPI is an easily tolerated drug, but many studies show that side effects of long-term PPI use include osteoporosis, risk of bone fractures, confusion (dementia), myocardial infarction, micronutrient deficiencies and infections.

“So you need to be careful when using PPIs”, he said.

Patients are indicated for surgery when they are suffering typical symptoms of burning and reflux, a long duration of illness, diaphragmatic hernia, esophagitis, lower sphincter insufficiency, and positive pH and manometry test.

The treatment of GERD is complicated and needs to measure manometry and esophageal pH.

“However, there are few facilities to measure manometry and esophageal pH. Vietnamese surgeons have no experience with this type of disease,” he said.

Diseases requiring surgery are common in Europe and America. When there is a relapse, the patient needs an experienced specialist, he said.

Professor Ninh Nguyễn and doctors at Bình Dân Hospital perform the anti-reflux valve surgery using the new Omega 300 AP technique to treat a patient with persistent GERD and esophageal hiatal hernia on April 6. — Photo courtesy of Bình Dân Hospital.

Professor Ninh Nguyễn, head of the Department of Surgery at US-based Irvine University Hospital, said GERD is very common. Almost everyone has reflux issues.

“If you don't treat it, it can become esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus, and eventually esophagus cancer,” the professor said.

He discussed an advanced method being applied to treat GERD in the US, the anti-reflux valve plastic surgery using the new Omega 300 AP technique.

This new technique needs more research and must be evaluated more systematically.

However, he believes that having a better shape of the valve could reduce the side effects, such as dysphagia and inability to belch. These are symptoms that the patient always complains about after anti-reflux operations.

“So to make it easier for the patient to have an improved quality of life, we have to reduce these side effects,” he said. “We're making minor changes, but by doing these minor changes, technically, it improves the valve, with fewer side effects for the patient. The patient will benefit from this.”

Nguyễn Phúc Minh, head of the Department of Gastroenterology at Bình Dân Hospital, said every day the hospital conducts about 2,000-2,500 examinations, of which about 200 people have reflux symptoms.

“Most patients have been examined at many medical facilities, often receiving long-term medication, but still relapse,” he said.

Many cases of hospitalisation have serious complications such as inflammation, narrowing of the esophagus, and the patient cannot eat or drink anything.

The disease also increases the risk of developing carcinoma in the esophageal gland.

The patients are usually prescribed medication for about eight weeks with PPIs. Then, the doctor reevaluates to make a decision to continue taking medication or have surgery.

Doctors recommend that people should maintain a reasonable weight, do not lie down immediately after eating, and do not do physical activity immediately.

They should avoid foods that increase stomach acid, gas and fluid-producing substances, and sleep with your head shoulder high and on your left side.

Professor Ninh Nguyễn and doctors at Bình Dân Hospital recently performed the anti-reflux valve plastic surgery using the new Omega 300 AP technique to treat two patients with persistent GERD and esophageal hiatal hernia. — VNS