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) Endoscopy is a common diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients with upper gastrointestinal pathology, specifically gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernia. The relationship between these two disease processes are relatively intertwined and have clinical significance given the fact patients with hiatal hernia may be more likely to have acid reflux and there is a close relationship with hiatal hernia size and incidence of reflux disease. (Gomaa, et al 2022) Worldwide, it is believed that the relation between hiatus hernia and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) have varied considerably. In our locality the prevalence of hiatal hernia in GERD patients and the effect of hiatal hernia on the severity of GERD symptoms is unknown.