Prevalence of Hiatus Hernia in Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease Patients Underwent Upper Endoscopy

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common problem for which patients seek care from a broad array of primary care providers, medical sub-specialists, and surgeons.

It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of people in Western countries have GERD, when defined as heartburn or regurgitation at least once a week. (Chapelle, et al. 2021)

The practice guidelines for GERD recommend diagnostic testing in the presence of alarm symptoms, which include dysphagia, odynophagia, weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, and anemia.

A detailed history of the pattern, severity, and duration of alarm symptoms is essential. (Katz, et al., 2022) Hiatus hernia refers to condition in which elements of the abdominal cavity, most commonly the stomach, herniate through the esophageal hiatus into the mediastinum.

Hiatus hernia is a frequent finding during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Type I hiatal hernia is the sliding hiatal hernia, which accounts for more than 95% of all hiatal hernias with the remaining 5% being Para-esophageal hiatus hernias (Kotekar, et al 2021)