Our patient has a hiatus hernia where the stomach has protruded through a hole in her diaphragm up into the bottom of her oesophagus. This causes acid reflux, where digestive juices and food from the stomach travel back up the oesophagus. As a result our patient is suffering from chronic heartburn, chest pains and severe discomfort when she eats. She has had mild symptoms for 15 years but in the past ten months they have become unbearable. If the condition is left untreated it will continue to get worse.