Esophageal hiatal hernia is a common digestive system disease that occurs when abdominal organs (mainly the stomach) enter the chest cavity through an enlarged esophageal hiatus. Esophageal hiatal hernia can be divided into various types such as sliding hiatal hernia and paraesophageal hernia, among which sliding type is the most common.

Symptom manifestations

The symptoms of hiatal hernia are diverse, but not all patients will experience symptoms. Some smaller hiatal hernias may not cause significant discomfort, while larger hiatal hernias may lead to symptoms such as heartburn, acid reflux, swallowing difficulties, upper abdominal pain, and chronic iron deficiency anemia. These symptoms are mainly caused by esophagitis caused by acid reflux to the esophagus.

pathogeny

The formation of hiatal hernia is related to various factors, including increased intra-abdominal pressure (such as obesity, pregnancy, ascites, chronic cough, long-term constipation, etc.), esophageal scars (such as fibrosis caused by esophagitis), congenital factors (such as genetic changes in the ligaments and diaphragm muscles or connective tissue components around the esophagus), etc.

therapeutic method

General treatment: For patients with asymptomatic or mild symptoms of esophageal hiatal hernia, special treatment is generally not necessary, but attention should be paid to adjusting diet and lifestyle, such as eating small meals frequently, avoiding irritating foods, and avoiding lying down immediately after meals.

Drug therapy: Drug therapy mainly includes acid suppressants and gastrointestinal motility promoting drugs. Acid suppressants such as omeprazole and rabeprazole can reduce gastric acid secretion and alleviate symptoms such as heartburn and acid reflux; Gastrointestinal motility promoting drugs such as domperidone and mosapride can promote gastric emptying and reduce gastric contents reflux.

Surgical treatment: For patients with severe symptoms, ineffective drug therapy, or large hernias, surgical treatment may be considered. Surgical methods include traditional open surgery and modern minimally invasive surgery (such as laparoscopic repair of hiatal hernia). Minimally invasive surgery has the advantages of minimal trauma and fast recovery, and has become the preferred method for treating hiatal hernia.

matters needing attention

Patients should follow medical advice and take medication during the treatment process, and undergo regular follow-up to evaluate treatment effectiveness and prevent recurrence. Meanwhile, maintaining good lifestyle and dietary habits is also an important measure for preventing and treating hiatal hernia.