A Herbst appliance, also known as a hiatal hernia-reducing or Redenberg appliance, is a small device used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and to prevent the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux. It’s also sometimes called an anti-reflux valve, although it can help people with GERD who don’t have reflux as well. It was originally developed by Dr. Karl Herbst, an American physician practicing in Germany during the 1960s.
What To Expect With A Herbst Device?
A Herbst device, or LAP-BAND®, can help obese individuals lose weight by reducing their stomach size. According to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, having part of your stomach surgically removed limits how much food you can eat at one time. If you still feel hungry after eating smaller portions, you might be more likely to snack on low-calorie foods throughout the day. Blue Cross Blue Shield reports that 95 percent of people who use a LAP-BAND® for three years have lost at least 10 percent of their body weight and kept it off for at least three years. The most common side effects associated with a LAP-BAND® are upper abdominal pain and diarrhea, both of which usually go away after three months.
Why Use The Herbst Appliance?
The The ring, or splint, portion of an HERBST device provides three essential benefits: compression, midface stabilization and forward positioning. Compression in the case of increased width of mandible or TMJ pathology (jaw injuries). Stabilization in mandibular cases when there are problems with tooth placement or malocclusion (closing) issues. And finally forward positioning to help move teeth back into their normal position for cases with posterior crossbite malocclusion (where you have your upper front teeth covering your lower front teeth). We use The Dental Distraction Therapy DeviceTM from HHS Bio-medical which I will discuss next.
Do I Have To Clean The Herbst Appliance?
Getting an appliance should not hurt; however, it can cause discomfort and can be slightly uncomfortable depending on your pain tolerance level. You may experience some pain or discomfort when an implantable pulse generator (IPG) or lead wire is placed in your spine to administer stimulation through spinal nerves for permanent neuromodulation. For example, in order to place an IPG properly, a very thin needle has to go into each of your vertebrae. And because those needles are small, there won’t be much more than slight discomfort with that part of the procedure; but you shouldn’t feel any real pain once they are in there.
Does Getting A Herbst Appliance Hurt?
For patients who are dealing with obesity and weight loss, there are surgical options that can help. One of these options, known as a Herbst or gastric bypass, involves surgically dividing your stomach into two sections. The first part of your stomach receives food from what used to be called your stomach. While the second part sends food to your small intestine as it normally would. As a result of having less space for food to store in your abdomen area. People who have received Herbsts often lose about 80% of their excess weight after one year. And about half of all excess weight is gone within four years! This surgery may even reduce your likelihood of getting Type 2 diabetes.
