Treatment with LINX system abroad

Heartburn not only makes a person uncomfortable, but over time can lead to severe diseases. Acid, which gets into the esophagus, burns its walls, and erosion, ulcers, and scars appear on them. Over time, precancerous changes occur, and then a malignant tumor develops. The vast majority of esophageal cancers are due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This condition can be cured with minimally traumatic techniques using the LINX antireflux system.

How is reflux esophagitis usually treated?

Reflux esophagitis can be treated with the following two approaches:

• Conservative treatment
• Surgical treatment

Both of these are equally effective. However, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of the conservative method are its simplicity and low cost. It is enough to take pills every day that block the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and heartburn will disappear. Nonetheless, this treatment approach also has its disadvantages. These are as follows:

• You will have to take pills for years and decades because they do not eliminate the cause of heartburn
• The long-term use of these drugs impairs bone mineralization, increases the risk of osteoporosis, and increases the likelihood of bone fractures
• In 20% of cases, pills do not provide complete control of the disease

Many patients, therefore, resort to surgical treatment. Fundoplication is considered a standard intervention, during which doctors wrap a part of the stomach around the esophagus, strengthening the sphincter.

In recent years, new, more sparing and, at the same time, no less effective treatment methods have also been developed. For example, the LINX reflux management system can be safely implanted even in patients with a high surgical risk.

What is LINX?

The LINX system is a “ring” of magnetic beads that fits over the esophagus and strengthens its sphincter. The implantation requires minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.

Magnetic beads narrow the sphincter but do not close it completely. When the muscles work, the beads move away from each other, and the esophagus opens. Therefore, a person with the implanted LINX system can swallow food normally and still be able to burp or vomit, but, between meals, the sphincter is securely closed and stomach contents do not enter the esophagus.

Treatment with the LINX system has been carried out in developed countries for more than 10 years. During this time, convincing evidence of its effectiveness and safety has been obtained. Thousands of patients have already been treated with this method. The LINX procedure in Germany is considered one of the standard treatment options for GERD and can be used instead of fundoplication in the absence of large hiatal hernias.

What is the process of treatment?

The LINX system is implanted under anesthesia during laparoscopic surgery. LINX surgery is minimally traumatic as it is performed through short incisions and does not violate the integrity of the organs of the digestive system. The operation takes about half an hour. A person can be discharged from the hospital the very next day.

Within a few weeks after being discharged from the hospital, a person must follow a special diet to get rid of discomfort and “teach” their lower esophageal sphincter to work in new conditions. Not later than 6 weeks, the person no longer feels any discomfort and can eat in any mode that is convenient for them.

You are welcome to visit the Booking Health website to undergo your LINX treatment abroad. On our website, you can find prices and select a medical care program at the best price. The specialists from the Booking Health company will select the most suitable clinics in Germany and arrange your trip.