Reflux after surgery

The largest number of people who have had an oesophagectomy will be in the Oesophageal Patients Association; they also have an internet forum on HealthUnlocked. It will be almost certain that your lower oesophageal sphincter was removed during the surgery, which is the valve between your stomach and your oesophagus that stops the reflux from rising. So it is almost certain that having an oesophagectomy will bring reflux problems. The more of your stomach that has been taken away, the less acid will be generated in the stomach, but this depends on the details of your surgery. Most patients will take Esomeprazole or an equivalent PPI.

But, and this also depends on the details of your surgery, the reflux can sometimes be bile reflux, which is alkali, so anti acid medication does not work against this. The hospital can give tests to determine whether it is acid or bile reflux.Gaviscon works against both acid and bile.

I think that this reflux issue is a direct result of the necessary surgery, and nothing like a sign of recurrence of cancer. But reduction of acid in your system can interfere with the natural bugs in your digestive system that combat infections.And sometimes patients do have to have medication to help the food to pass through the system. I think this might be domperidone, and that you have to be careful to take it at the prescribed interval before eating for it to work properly.