Gas Bloat Syndrome

What Is Gas Bloat Syndrome?

The goal of this article is to answer the questions what is gas bloat syndrome, what causes gas bloat syndrome, and is gas bloat syndome is symptom of a more serious stomach problem.

When stomach gas can't escape through the mouth in the form of a belch or burp, the build up creates a feeling of bloated stomach or over-fullness. This bloating occurs naturally as air enters the stomach while a person is eating. This process is known as aerophagia.

Gas bloat syndrome occurs when stomach gas that has built up cannot escape the stomach because of surgery. This is often the case in a procedure called Nissen's fundoplication.

Nissen's fundoplication helps relieve gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is also known as GERD, or heartburn. Since GERD occurs because stomach acid makes its way from the stomach into the esophagus, it's sometimes necessary to perform surgery to stop the acid's upward flow.

Nissen's fundoplication involves wrapping stomach tissue around the valve at the junction of the esophagus and stomach. By making this junction tighter, stomach acid cannot flow up into the esophagus.

As a consequence, stomach gas is also trapped and can't easily escape up the esophagus and out through the mouth. The individual who has had the procedure feels bloated from the gas. They may even get cramps.

As a further consequence, the trapped gas will move down the digestive tract and eventually be expelled as unusually large quantities of flatulence.

About 25-50% of patients who have had fundoplication surgery suffer from Gas bloat syndrome. Symptoms eventually disappear however, in most instances. Gas bloat syndrome generally lasts 2-4 weeks.

Nissen's fundoplication is an elective surgical procedure that's done laparoscopically. It's generally regarded as safe. The mortality rate is below one percent, and studies show that after ten years, approximately ninety percent of patients are symptom free.

Also see gas and bloated stomach pain.