• Board Certified General Surgeon | Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
  • Experienced, Highly Trained, and Dedicated Staff
  • Dedication to Compassionate, Respectful Patient Care
  • Our Goal is to Provide Minimally Invasive Treatment Whenever Possible
  • We Work Closely With Your Primary Care Physician to Provide Comprehensive Care
  • State-of-the-Art Facilities and Technologies
  • A Full Range of Treatment Options from Minimally Invasive Procedures to Surgical Repair
  • Translation Available for Spanish-speaking Patients
  • A Focus on Minimally Invasive Alternatives to Open Surgery

Antireflux & GERD

Most people experience symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux every now and then and simple over-the-counter antacids may be all they need to get relief. However, for about 1 in 5 Americans, their heartburn is more frequent, severe and disruptive, affecting their eating, sleeping and quality of life, and is a symptom of a larger problem - gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a digestive disorder that also causes regurgitation, difficulty swallowing and coughing fits.

The standard of medical care for GERD patients is treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), prescription drugs that suppress the amount of acid the stomach produces. While effective in reducing symptoms for most people, up to 40 percent fail to respond to even aggressive acid suppression drug therapy.


Treatment

Dr. Harding offers a minimally invasive solution called the LINX® Reflux Management System, which is a small flexible band of magnetic beads about the size of a quarter, that wraps around a weekend lower esophageal sphincter. Rather than stop the production of acid, the magnetic device prevents acid rising up from the stomach by opening and closing before and after a patient swallows food, just as a healthy lower esophageal sphincter would.


Benefits of the LINX® GERD Treatment

  • Once implanted in a minimally invasive procedure that typically lasts less than an hour, the magnetic band expands to allow food to enter the stomach and then contracts to prevent stomach acids from flowing back up into the esophagus.
  • Many patients are able to go home within 24 hours and are soon able to eat without restrictions and no longer need daily prescription GERD medications.
  • Studies show five years after a LINX® procedure, 88% of patients report bothersome heartburn has been eliminated, 85% are free from dependence on daily reflux medication and 99% no longer experience regurgitation.
  • A 6-month study showed LINX® treatment is significantly more effective than twice-daily proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in relieving regurgitation, improving quality of life, reducing reflux episodes and eliminating the need for acid suppression medications.

Image reflecting GERD statistics Image showing how Linx alows food to pass into the stomach without allowing stomach acid to go up the esophagus

Referenced Content Source: LINX® Communication Guide