Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease News and Research

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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more serious form of gastroesophageal reflux (GER), which is common. GER occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens spontaneously, for varying periods of time, or does not close properly and stomach contents rise up into the esophagus. GER is also called acid reflux or acid regurgitation, because digestive juices—called acids—rise up with the food. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. The LES is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus that acts like a valve between the esophagus and stomach.

Patients with cancer of the esophagus benefit from new technique developed by OHSU surgeons

Surgeons at the Oregon Health & Science University Digestive Health Center have developed a new technique that makes feasible and safe a potentially lifesaving and noninvasive surgical procedure known as laparoscopic esophagectomy.

9 Jun 2005

People with chronic cough are often depressed

More than half of people with chronic cough-a nagging cough that can last for months or even years-suffer from depressive symptoms, according to a study to be presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference on May 23.

22 May 2005

Carbonated soft drinks can cause heartburn

Carbonated soft drinks and one of the most commonly prescribed sleeping pills, benzodiazepines, can cause nighttime heartburn, according to new research.

9 May 2005

Cell phone base stations change brain currents and cause unwellness

The radiation of a cell phone base station at a distance of 80 metres causes significant changes of the electrical currents in the brains of testees (measured by electroencefalogram, EEG). All the testees said they felt unwell during the radiation, some of them seriously.

2 May 2005

New camera-in-a-pill helps diagnose and evaluate diseases of the esophagus

A new camera-in-a-pill can help doctors diagnose and evaluate diseases of the esophagus including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus (a pre-cancerous condition) without the use of a traditional endoscope.

1 May 2005

Patients can now swallow pill-sized, disposable cameras to help diagnose diseases of the esophagus

Patients can now swallow pill-sized, disposable cameras to help gastroenterologists diagnose and evaluate diseases of the esophagus, or swallowing tube. This new diagnostic tool is a further modification of capsule endoscopy, which has been used clinically since late 2001 to examine the small intestines.

15 Mar 2005

People drink less alcohol as they age

A new UCLA study shows that people drink less alcohol as they age--but drinking among those who were born in earlier years showed a faster decline than among people born more recently.

22 Feb 2005

Treatment to control gastroesophageal reflux disease in children found to be ineffective

According to a study published in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, more than 60 percent of the children who received surgical fundoplication to control gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) had recurring symptoms of the disease months following surgery.

4 Nov 2004

Symptoms of heartburn and GERD are highly prevalent among obese patients

Overall, heartburn and or acid regurgitation were found among 75 percent of the morbidly obese patients, while 23 percent experienced difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) and 34 percent experienced asthma symptoms.

1 Nov 2004

Esophageal capsule is convenient, safe and sensitive for visualization of esophageal disorders

Researchers in a multi-center pivotal trial of M2Aâ Esophageal Capsule Endoscopy (Given Imaging, Yoqneam, Israel) found that this new technology is comparable to upper GI endoscopy for the detection of severe esophageal problems.

1 Nov 2004

Gastric acid-suppressive medications may increase risk of developing pneumonia

Individuals who use gastric acid-suppressive medications may be at an elevated risk of developing community-acquired pneumonia, according to an article in the October 27 issue of JAMA.

28 Oct 2004

Study clearly showed the benefit of weight loss in terms of pain, function and quality of life

Over 18 months, researchers at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University studied the frequency and prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints in obese patients before and after undergoing gastric bypass surgery.

21 Oct 2004

Further study is needed before link between gastroesophageal reflux disorder and otitis media can be firmly established

Does gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) lead to middle ear infections in young children? Otitis media (OM) or ear infection, has the highest incidence, 62.9 percent, among all medical conditions in children younger than age five. Recent studies have suggested that GERD may cause OM.

18 Sep 2004

Significant relationships between laryngopharyngeal reflux and upper airway sensory impairment

Medical researchers have long suspected a relationship between gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), two medical conditions which can have a deleterious effect on a patient¡¯s quality of life.

17 Sep 2004

New alternative offered by physicians to help patients who suffer from heartburn

Heartburn is one popular condition. Wherever one looks, there are slick advertisements for pills to treat heartburn--also known as GERD or acid reflux. For many sufferers, the pills do work to control the discomfort.

2 Aug 2004

New educational campaign on celiac disease

The Children's Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation (CDHNF) with the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) today announced the launch of a new educational campaign on celiac disease

30 Jun 2004

Pulsed-dye laser surgery for voice disorders better all round

The newly developed pulsed-dye laser surgery for voice disorders has been found to be faster, cheaper, better tolerated, and less complicated than standard surgery that requires general anesthesia, more time and a longer recovery, surgeons reported here today at an international conference on problems associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux.

21 May 2004

Bacteria Live in the Esophagus!

The esophagus isn't merely a tube for food traveling from the mouth to the stomach, it also provides an environment for bacteria to live, according to a new study by NYU School of Medicine scientists that overturns the general belief that the esophagus is free of bacteria.

22 Mar 2004