- Esophageal Submucosal Lesions
- Esophageal Cancer
- Barrett's Esophagus
- Celiac Disease
- Gastric Malignancies
- GERD
- Non-Cancerous Stomach Conditions
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder caused by the return of acidic stomach juices, or food and fluids, back up into the esophagus. At the Center for Advanced Digestive Care, NewYork-Presbyterian's gastrointestinal specialists offer the latest advances in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
For more information on gastroesphageal reflux disease, including symptoms and risk factors, visit our Health Library or the Gastroesophageal Reflux and Motility Disorders Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.
Diagnosis
In addition to taking a complete medical history and physical examination, physicians initially diagnose GERD by symptoms and a patient's response to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors which reduce the stomach's production of acid. We diagnose more complicated GERD with endoscopy. Our gastrointestinal specialists may also conduct other diagnostic procedures:
- Upper GI (gastrointestinal) series (also called barium swallow)
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (also called EGD or upper endoscopy)
- Bernstein test
- Esophageal Manometry
- pH Monitoring
Treatment for GERD
In many cases, GERD can be relieved through diet and lifestyle changes which help manage heartburn. However, physicians will usually begin treating GERD by prescribing long-acting prescription-strength medications which reduce the production of stomach acid or help the stomach empty faster and may tighten the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).
Patients who cannot take medication long-term, or those for whom it is not effective, may be candidates for a laparoscopic surgical procedure performed by the Center's gastrointestinal specialists called fundoplication, which increases pressure on the esophagus and prevents reflux.
Researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian are evaluating several new methods to treat GERD. With one method, radiofrequency energy is used to heat and coagulate tissue around the LES. This creates scar tissue, which alters the sensory nerves that cause the LES to open and close.
Another minimally invasive method of treating GERD we are testing is the plication procedure, which is done endoscopically while the patient is under conscious sedation. In this procedure, a device called a plicator folds is installed at the junction between the esophagus and stomach. The device grabs and holds tissue and helps tighten the valve between the esophagus and stomach. Patients usually return home the same day.
