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Many challenging medical conditions affect the upper regions of the gastrointestinal tract, including problems with the esophagus (swallowing) and stomach (digestion). In cases of severe obesity, the stomach can be temporarily or permanently modified to restrict food intake and promote weight loss. At UC Irvine, a full range of therapeutic procedures are available for patients needing esophageal or gastric interventions.

Esophageal Disorders

The esophagus is a tube-like structure that connects the mouth to the stomach, and it can be the site of many troubling problems, such as spasms, swallowing difficulties, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and cancer. At UC Irvine’s Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center, specialists use an endoscope – a flexible tube equipped with a camera – to examine the esophagus. Samples of suspicious tissue may be removed and studied under a microscope to diagnose esophageal conditions, including Barrett’s esophagus, and to identify any precancerous tissue changes, a condition known as dysplasia.

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Gastric Diseases

Stomach disorders requiring surgical intervention include severe peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. Both conditions can be treated with laparoscopic procedures and studies show that laparoscopic surgery of the stomach has equal or better results in comparison with traditional surgery or open gastrectomy. Patients with stomach cancer are treated at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Orange County.

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Bariatric surgery

Traditional diets have poor success rates among people who are significantly overweight (100 pounds or more, or twice their ideal body weight). For patients struggling with severe obesity, minimally invasive bariatric (weight loss) surgery can be an effective option. The UC Irvine’s Bariatric Surgery Program is known for having a high success rate with a low complication rate. Our patients not only lose weight, they may spend less time in the hospital and return to normal life sooner.

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