LINX is life changing

If you worry about a lifetime of expensive medications, pharmacy visits, and potential medication side effects, the LINX procedure may be right for you. This minimally invasive medical implant is intended for patients diagnosed with acid reflux disease who continue to suffer symptoms despite taking medication. After a short, outpatient procedure, with no alteration to the stomach, you can return to your life and resume normal activities in days. There’s no need to even alter your diet.

What is LINX?

Reflux Disease is a common condition that goes by many names: GERD, acid reflux, heartburn or indigestion. One in five Americans experience symptoms weekly, including: heartburn, difficulty or pain with swallowing, chronic cough, asthma, morning hoarseness or sore throat, and voice changes.

We all have a natural, two-way valve between our stomach and esophagus. This keeps powerful stomach acid and digestive enzymes down in the stomach where they belong. In people with Reflux Disease, this valve has been stretched out or weakened and is no longer strong enough to do its job. This allows the powerful substances that help digest food and kill germs to move up out of the stomach and into your esophagus where they cause damage.

LINX is a small, flexible ring of magnets that opens to allow food and liquid down, then closes to prevent stomach contents from moving up.

Do you have chronic reflux?

Chronic acid reflux can be evaluated through medical tests such as an upper endoscopy, esophageal PH monitoring or an esophageal manometry. The Reflux Program has also put together a short survey to help you determine the severity of your acid reflux. Learn more about the HFM Reflux Program to see what options are available to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • LINX is implanted using a surgical technique called laparoscopy. This technique uses small incisions in the abdominal wall to access the area around the esophagus where the device will be placed.

  • Patients are encouraged to return to a normal diet as quickly as tolerated. This helps the body adapt to LINX.

  • Patients are generally able to return to non-strenuous activity within a couple of days.

  • LINX is designed to be a lifelong implant. The cases and wires are constructed of titanium, which has a long history of use in permanent medical implants. LINX uses permanent magnets that are designed not to wear out.

  • LINX should not affect airport security. All patients will be provided with an implant card to have available in the event an issue arises.

  • A small number of patients have reported sensations in the area of LINX. It is not known if this is the device or the result of surgery in the area. These sensations have gone away over time.

  • ALL LINX devices being implanted by HFM are safe to a 1.5T MRI, which is the MRI strength used by most hospitals, including HFM.

    To learn more about this innovative procedure, visit www.linxforlife.com.