At some time, one in five of us will visit our GP, suffering from acid reflux and there are few adults who haven’t experienced the discomfort of heartburn. For many people, acid reflux can be managed by dietary care or a drug regime. For others, who live each day with pain and inconvenience of gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GORD, which impacts on their daily lives and work, the Aberdeen Clinic offers one of the UK’s most experienced team of surgeons, nurses, gastroenterologists and specialist physiologists dedicated to creating individual care and treatment plans.
The traditional surgical approach to GORD is fundoplication. This is a surgical technique which creates an artificial valve between the oesophagus and the stomach. These operations are done using keyhole (laparoscopic) surgical techniques and are generally very effective in controlling reflux.
The GORD team at the Aberdeen Clinic is headed up by Ken Park, a dedicated and vastly experienced Consultant Surgeon, who explained, ‘Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a condition caused when the stomach contents backtrack out of the stomach into the lower oesophagus or gullet. The acid produced by the stomach can cause pain behind the breastbone and a burning discomfort rising upwards, known as heartburn, but some people also experience, hoarseness, a cough, nausea and/or excess saliva.
The Aberdeen Clinic also offers specialist care in the following areas:
Clinical services, General surgery, Plastic surgery, ENT surgery, Vascular surgery, Varicose vein clinic, Maxillofacial surgery, Allergy clinic, Urology, General medicine, Gastroenterology, Gynaecology, General practice, Radiology and imaging, Physiotherapy, Gastro-oesophageal reflux clinic, Paediatrics, Psychology, Dermatology, Cardiology, Minor surgery, Sports injury, Irritable bowel clinic and Weight management.
‘Although fundoplication can be effective in many cases, it can lead to side-effects. We’ve been at the forefront of a new procedure, LINX, which is approved by the healthcare regulator NICE and also by the FDA in the USA. LINX has now been used over 4000 times worldwide, with great success. It is a keyhole operation which augments the normal valve by placing a band of magnets around the junction between the stomach and the oesophagus. The advantage of the LINX procedure is that it results in a more natural swallowing mechanism than the traditional surgery and, as such, is not associated with side effects, such as bloating.
‘No matter what their health problems, everyone we see at the Aberdeen Clinic is different, so we work with them to create an individual treatment plan. We believe that everyone should get the same high standards of investigation and treatment that we would expect ourselves and we draw on some of the UK’s most gifted and well regarded specialists to make this happen.
The Aberdeen Clinic also has an outstanding reputation for specialist care for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Varicose Vein Treatment, Allergies and Weight Management, as well as Minor Surgery and advanced endoscopy techniques. It’s all part of our top-to-toe, patient centred approach to health and wellbeing’.
387A North Deeside Rd, Cults, Aberdeen AB15 9SX
Tel: 03330 143488 health@theaberdeenclinic.co.uk www.theaberdeenclinic.com