Could having surgery for my hiatal hernia also help my gerd?

Yes.: A hiatal hernia is an enlargement of the normal opening of the diaphragm through which the esophagus passes. Hiatal hernias may contribute to gerd but they are not synonymous: many people have hiatal hernias and no gerd, and vice-versa. There is an operation to treat gerd (fundoplication) but this is reserved for the minority of people who do not respond to medical management.

Yes: Often, reducing the hiatal hernia out of the chest into the abdomen and adding a fundoplication (wrapping part of stomach around bottom of esophagus) will help reduce gerd.

Yes: Gerd is associated with hiatal hernias. Acid refluxes from the stomach to the distal esophagus in the chest since pressure is lower there. A defective sphincter is also to blame. Surgery replaces the upper stomach and lower esophagus to a more normal abdominal location, closes the hiatal defect and wraps the upper stomach around the esophagus to restore sphincter competency.