Diagnosis
Diagnosis
A hiatal hernia is often discovered during a test or procedure to determine the cause of heartburn or chest or upper abdominal pain. These tests or procedures include:
- X-ray of your upper digestive system. X-rays are taken after you drink a chalky liquid that coats and fills the inside lining of your digestive tract. The coating allows your doctor to see a silhouette of your esophagus, stomach and upper intestine.
- Upper endoscopy. Your doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube equipped with a light and camera (endoscope) down your throat, to examine the inside of your esophagus and stomach and check for inflammation.
- Esophageal manometry. This test measures the rhythmic muscle contractions in your esophagus when you swallow. Esophageal manometry also measures the coordination and force exerted by the muscles of your esophagus
Surgery
Sometimes a hiatal hernia requires surgery. Surgery is generally used for people who aren't helped by medications to relieve heartburn and acid reflux or have complications such as severe inflammation or narrowing of the esophagus.
Surgery to repair a hiatal hernia may involve pulling your stomach down into your abdomen and making the opening in your diaphragm smaller or reconstructing an esophageal sphincter. In some cases, hiatal hernia surgery is combined with weight-loss surgery, such as a sleeve gastrectomy. However, based on your insurance, there may be additional out-of-pocket expenses associated with adding weight-loss surgery.
Surgery may be performed using a single incision in your chest wall (thoracotomy) or using a minimally invasive technique called laparoscopy. In laparoscopic surgery, your surgeon inserts a tiny camera and special surgical tools through several small incisions in your abdomen. The operation is then performed while your surgeon views images from inside your body that are displayed on a video monitor.