Columbia Surgical Associates (CSA) offers LINX® Reflux Management for people whose chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease cannot be controlled medically, including daily use of medications such as proton pump inhibitors.
LINX is an option for patients who are taking acid-suppressing drugs but are not getting their desired results. These types of medications help control acid build-up, but they cannot repair the underlying problem.
What is LINX® Reflux Management?
LINX Reflux Management is a permanent, drug-free treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that involves inserting a small band of magnetized titanium beads around the lower esophageal sphincter located at the base of the esophagus. This band helps prevent gastric acids from pushing back up into the esophagus from the stomach, reducing or eliminating symptoms of acid reflux.
Swallowing forces temporarily break the magnetic bond, allowing food and liquid to pass normally into the stomach, then reengage to close immediately after swallowing, restoring the body’s natural barrier to reflux.
What is involved in the LINX procedure?
The LINX system is placed around the esophagus just above the stomach using a surgical technique called laparoscopy. The procedure generally takes less than an hour, and it is performed under general anesthesia. Once implanted, the device will begin working immediately.
Most patients are able to go home the day after surgery, and most are able to resume a normal diet immediately. In studies of the LINX system, 90 percent of patients reported improvement in reflux symptoms or were able to eliminate medications a year after treatment.
Benefits of LINX may include:
- Reduction or elimination of heartburn and acid reflux
- Reduction or elimination of anti-reflux medications
- Less invasive than standard surgical treatment for GERD
- Discharge within a day after surgery
- Faster recovery and return to normal diet