The LES is a ring of muscle that separates the stomach from the esophagus. After you eat, normal, coordinated contractions in the esophagus deliver food to the stomach. When food arrives, the LES contracts and acid is secreted into the stomach. If the LES is weakened acid can rise into the esophagus and cause irritation and burning. If acid is able to rise high enough into the esophagus, it may lead to a chronic sore throat, hoarseness, cough or wheezing. Some people take anti-acid medications (e.g. Omeprazole) that may limit or prevent damage to the esophagus and control other symptoms.

Some people have such severe LES weakness that medications, weight loss and dietary discretion do not effectively control GERD. Surgery may be an option. Common antireflux surgical procedures include the Nissen Fundoplication, the Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication, the Belsy Mark IV and the Hill Gastropexy.

The indications for surgical correction or modification of faulty LES function or other anatomical considerations that may lead to GERD include:

1. Persistent or recurrent symptoms despite medical and non-medical   interventions
2. Esophageal stricture (scarring of the esophagus causing constriction)
3. Barrett’s Esophagus (potentially pre-cancerous changes in the lining of the esophagus)
4. Severe esophagitis as determined by endoscopy
5. Recurrent pulmonary problems caused by GERD such as aspiration pneumonia or asthma

If you and your doctor have decided that surgery is an option, and you do not have the means to pay for surgery at this time, consider a highly qualified surgeon in Mexico. MedToGo works with experienced surgeons that can perform your anti-reflux surgery at a fraction of the cost.

Before you go for surgery, make sure that the decision is the right one. You should have an Esophageal Manography study to determine the muscular function and the pressures within the esophagus. Manography is essential to exclude muscular diseases such as Scheroderma or Achalasia as the reason for your GERD, as these conditions are not treatable with surgery. Also, Manography can tell you a lot about the function of the LES. If you have low LES pressures (poor sphincter strength), you will likely do well with antireflux surgery, which works to tighten up LES muscle tone. We also recommend that you have an upper GI. An upper GI will provide important anatomical information about your esophagus and stomach that will help the surgeon decide what type of operation is right for you.

Once you have completed these studies, meet with a gastroenterologist or general surgeon in your area to discuss your options. Ultimately the decision to go to surgery will have to be between you and your doctor(s). The Manography and the upper GI studies will help your team determine what type of antireflux procedure is best for you. When you have made your decision, MedToGo can help you find an experienced surgeon and help you keep a lot of your hard earned money. When it comes to antireflux surgery, experience is an extremely important determinant of outcome.

Our physicians and health care coordinators have extensive, hands on experience working with doctors and hospitals throughout Mexico. We began developing our network of Mexico’s finest doctors and hospitals in 2000 by conducting personal interviews and educational background checks on more than 700 Mexican doctors and inspecting over 80 private hospitals. We spent 6 years researching the Mexican healthcare system before we referred our first patient for surgery in February of 2006. As a result, if you decide to let MedToGo coordinate your surgery or medical service in Mexico, you can be assured that you will be working with the country’s finest doctors and institutions.

You will have also hired a team of U.S. physicians and health care and coordinators that will oversee your care and serve as your advocate while you are in Mexico. You will not be alone. Your safety and peace of mind are our primary concern. Furthermore, we can offer you complete healthcare packages with up to 75% off the price of a comparable experience in the U.S.-without a compromise in quality.

• Our physicians meet and hold personal interviews with all Mexican physicians.
• We verify the doctor’s educational experience and credentials, including board certification and licensing.
• We request and check professional references and assess a doctor’s local reputation through various professional and personal resources. Doctors must be in good standing with their community and hospitals. There must be no history of current or repeated legal malpractice.
• We review physician resumés and give preference to physicians who have been consistent with continuing medical education, who are active in their medical societies and who have been entrusted with leadership roles within their institutions.
• We examine evidence of their surgical success rates.

• Prior to including a surgeon or physician into our program, we attend his/her operations to evaluate competence and skill.

But if you hire MedToGo we will not only provide you with a selection of Mexico’s finest health care providers and coordinate your procedure, we will also be your advocates while you are abroad and not rest until have returned home.

Your Mexican hospital and doctor compensates MedToGo for marketing services, and MedToGo does not add additional fees to the cost of your package. MedToGo does not accept cash incentives or alterations in compensation from physicians or hospitals. This ensures that our recommendations are unbiased and based solely on our experience and quality assessment.