You sit down to enjoy a meal with friends or family, but every bite feels like a struggle. Swallowing becomes difficult, and the simple act of eating turns into a painful, frustrating ordeal. If you’ve been experiencing difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), chest pain, or heartburn, you may be dealing with a condition called achalasia. Over time, untreated achalasia can cause significant weight loss and malnutrition, making it important to seek effective treatment.
At NJ Advanced Surgical Solutions, we offer a cutting-edge solution that can help you reclaim your quality of life. With the da Vinci® Surgical System, Dr. Val Prokurat and our team provide a minimally invasive approach to achalasia treatment. Say goodbye to the struggles of achalasia and let NJ Advanced Surgical Solutions help you find your way back to comfort.
What is achalasia?
Achalasia is a rare but serious condition affecting the esophagus, the muscular tube responsible for moving food from your mouth to your stomach. In a healthy person, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a ring of muscle at the base of the esophagus, opens and closes to allow food to pass into the stomach. However, if you have achalasia, this muscle fails to relax, effectively blocking food and liquids from moving down into your stomach.
This condition leads to a host of symptoms, including difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), chest pain, heartburn, regurgitation of undigested food, and, in severe cases, weight loss and malnutrition. Over time, the inability to swallow can impact overall health and well-being.
When nonsurgical options aren’t enough…
Achalasia can be managed with nonsurgical treatments like Botox injections, balloon dilation, or medications that relax the LES. However, these options provide only temporary relief, and symptoms often return over time. If you’ve been struggling with persistent symptoms despite trying these methods, it’s time to explore a more permanent solution: Heller Myotomy.
What is Heller Myotomy?
Heller Myotomy is a surgical procedure that corrects the underlying issue of achalasia by cutting the tight muscle fibers of the LES. This allows food and liquids to pass more freely from the esophagus to the stomach, restoring the ability to swallow without pain or difficulty.
At NJ Advanced Surgical Solutions, Dr. Prokurat offers this life-changing surgery using the revolutionary Da Vinci® System. Unlike traditional open surgery, which requires large incisions and lengthy recovery times, the Da Vinci® method allows for minimally invasive surgery through a few small incisions, leading to a quicker recovery, less pain, and minimal scarring.
The Da Vinci® Surgical System
The Da Vinci® Surgical System is an advanced robotic system that allows Dr. Prokurat to perform Heller Myotomy with unmatched precision and control.
The procedure involves making several small incisions through which tiny surgical instruments and a high-definition 3D camera are inserted. The camera provides a magnified, clear view of the esophagus and surrounding structures, allowing for greater accuracy during surgery. The robotic arms of the Da Vinci® system translate Dr. Prokurat’s hand movements into extremely precise motions, ensuring that only the necessary muscle fibers of the LES are cut.
The Da Vinci® system improves the accuracy of the procedure, minimizes the risk of complications, reduces pain, and shortens your recovery time.
The benefits of a minimally invasive Heller Myotomy
There are several key advantages to choosing a minimally invasive Heller Myotomy performed with the Da Vinci® Surgical System, especially compared to traditional open surgery:
- Faster recovery: Because the surgery is less invasive, your hospital stay is typically only 2–3 days, and you’ll be able to return to normal activities sooner.
- Minimal scarring: The tiny incisions leave little to no visible scars, which is a significant cosmetic advantage over open surgery.
- Less pain: Smaller incisions mean less post-operative pain and a faster recovery.
- Lower risk of complications: With the precision offered by the Da Vinci® system, there is less risk of damaging surrounding tissues, which reduces the chance of complications.
Life after Heller Myotomy
The goal of Heller Myotomy is to provide you with long-term relief from achalasia symptoms. Many patients report a near-complete resolution of their swallowing difficulties, allowing them to enjoy their favorite foods again without pain or discomfort.
While the surgery is highly effective, it’s important to understand that you will still need follow-up care to monitor your esophagus and ensure there are no complications like gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). The addition of a partial fundoplication during the surgery helps to prevent acid reflux from becoming a problem post-operatively.
Ready to reclaim your life?
Living with achalasia can be frustrating and debilitating, but you don’t have to face it alone. NJ Advanced Surgical Solutions, led by Dr. Val Prokurat, is here to help you find relief. With the advanced Da Vinci® Surgical System, you can undergo a minimally invasive Heller Myotomy that offers faster recovery, less pain, and long-lasting results. Schedule your consultation today—we’re committed to helping you live your best life, free from the constraints of achalasia.