Mayo Clinic’s Argentinian expert who revolutionized reflux treatment using robotics

It may be considered of minor importance, but the esophagus is also important for the functioning of the human organism., It is a muscular tube more than 25 centimeters long through which food and fluids pass. It transports food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach.

argentine doctor Fernando Ely Has dedicated his career to developing better technologies to solve the problems faced by patients with various gastric pathologies. Now he also added the use of robotics.

He is a researcher and head of gastroenterological surgery at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in the city of jacksonvillein Florida usa, He also works as a professor of surgery Alix School of Medicine From Mayo Clinic. It was formed in public university From Argentina: He made his residence Jose de San Martin Clinical Hospital of University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Last week he was a speaker at the 93rd Argentine Surgery Congress held in Buenos Aires.

During an exclusive interview with infobaeDr. Eli told what are Breaking News In the treatment of pathologies affecting the esophagus. He explained in detail what is known so far about the disease reflux gastroesophagealHe Barrett’s esophagus And this cancer Which can develop in the organ without causing symptoms in the early stages.

The following is the expert’s conversation with Infobay:

He acid reflux problem is more common Which can affect the esophagus. This occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter opens when it should not open, allowing stomach acid And digestive juices return from the stomach to the esophagus. may be the reason inflammation Of stomach.

reflux of food into the esophagus This is a more serious form of acid reflux. Stomach acid continuously returns to the esophagus. Some people experience heartburn, cough, chest pain, hoarseness, bad breath, or difficulty swallowing.

Earlier people used to go to the doctor for advice in case of reflux disease. The professional prescribed them the medication that required a prescription. However, today people use over-the-counter medicines They do not give timely advice, From Pathological and chronic reflux You may have complications that can lead to this condition Barrett’s esophagus, The flat, pink lining of the esophagus becomes damaged by acid reflux and thickens and turns red.

The recommendation is that if a person has chronic refluxIs for seek medical advice. A test can be done to determine if someone has gastroesophageal reflux disease. upper endoscopy, This allows to detect if there is inflammation and complications, such as Barrett syndrome.

Treatment is indicated according to each patient’s condition. Medicines are required in some cases. In other cases, various surgeries may be required. at mayo clinic We are studying the use of non-surgical techniques For treatment of reflux, which are mostly endoscopic. We are evaluating the effectiveness of that process.

Nowadays surgery is the standard treatment severe and chronic refluxespecially if there is the presence of a hiatal hernia.

If the patient is in pain severe reflux and obesitySo the best surgical procedure is gastric bypass, This is the option that treats both obesity and reflux. When this intervention is performed, the stomach is divided and a small gastric reservoir is created. Thus significantly reduces acid Which goes into the esophagus. Bypass also brings with it an important thing weight lossWhich also improves reflux.

It is important to consider that obesity is a chronic problem and should be considered by both patients and the health team. 15% to 20% of patients who undergo bypass gain weight again.

After many years of experience, it has been proven that treatment is essential for long-term success. multidisciplinary and monitoring Maintained by the patient. Support from nutrition professionals, physicians, surgeons and psychologists. Its purpose is to prevent or detect recurrence of unwanted weight gain and related diseases.

Additionally, we now also have new GLP-1 agonist agents that can be used first aid for obesity, They may be indicated before or after bariatric surgery to maintain the desired results. All decisions should be made under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team.

Treatment depends on the degree of abnormal cell growth in the patient’s esophagus and their general health. If you don’t have dysplasia, you have periodic endoscopy And treatment is indicated for reflux. On the other hand, if it is detected dysplasiaOther interventions are considered, such as endoscopic resectionThe radiofrequency ablation Wave Cryotherapy.

robotic surgery Today there is a complex instrument that allows the surgeon more correct And, in some cases, reduces postoperative complications and shortens hospital stay. We already use robots to perform interventions for severe esophageal reflux, Barrett esophagus, gastric bypass or esophageal cancer.

tumors of the esophagus Their incidence has increased in recent years due to increasing obesity rates. More than 600,000 people were diagnosed with them worldwide in 2020.

Our experience shows us that the use of robotics is possible to reduce Some? Postoperative complications. This can prevent leakage from the connection between the esophagus and the stomach.

Yes, but there are already about 20 companies around the world that make various surgical robots. This will promote competition and input prices will decrease, Future surgeries will not be performed by surgeons. It will be monitored by humans. They will be robots that will work on the basis of artificial intelligence and past experience. This will get us out, but it still requires human monitoring.

Robotics and artificial intelligence will not be for all surgical cases. It should also be added that personalized medicinewith Genetic treatment.