A Tampa Practice Built Around One Focus: The Foregut
Tampa Bay Reflux Institute is a specialty practice dedicated to benign conditions of the esophagus, diaphragm, and stomach. Founded in 2022, the institute represents the evolution of a reflux, focused surgical practice that has been serving Tampa Bay since 2009. Over more than a decade and a half, Dr. Gopal Grandhige has refined a methodical, physiology, first approach to GERD, hiatal hernias, achalasia, gastroparesis, and laryngopharyngeal reflux.
Most patients arriving here have already tried daily medications, multiple specialists, and lifestyle changes. They want answers, not another prescription. That is exactly the gap Tampa Bay Reflux Institute was created to fill. By offering objective testing, careful diagnosis, and Nissen fundoplication for hiatal hernia in Tampa, FL when truly indicated, the practice gives patients clarity instead of guesswork.
Dr. Grandhige completed his medical training at the University of Michigan, followed by general surgery residency and fellowships in foregut surgery and minimally invasive surgery at Yale, New Haven Hospital. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of SAGES, and a founding member of the American Foregut Society.
The practice is conveniently located on South Howard Avenue, with parking behind Sally O’Neill’s Pizza, making it easy to access from South Tampa, Hyde Park, and surrounding neighborhoods. Patients also travel from Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Orlando, and beyond for subspecialty foregut care that simply isn’t available everywhere.
What truly sets the institute apart is restraint. Surgery is recommended only when objective testing confirms it is the right path. That philosophy is why referring physicians across Tampa Bay continue to send their most complex reflux patients here.
UNDERSTANDING NISSEN FUNDOPLICATION FOR HIATAL HERNIA
What The Procedure Actually Does
Reflux is not simply about making too much acid. In nearly every case, it is a mechanical breakdown at the junction between the esophagus and stomach. A weakened lower esophageal sphincter, combined with a hiatal hernia, allows stomach contents to flow upward where they don’t belong. Medications quiet the burn but cannot rebuild the broken valve.
Nissen fundoplication for hiatal hernia in Tampa, FL is designed to fix that broken valve. The upper portion of the stomach, called the fundus, is wrapped 360 degrees around the lower esophagus, reinforcing the natural reflux barrier. Performed alongside a hiatal hernia repair, the procedure restores normal anatomy, tightens the diaphragmatic opening, and dramatically reduces reflux events.
The Procedure In Plain Terms
The operation is performed laparoscopically or robotically under general anesthesia, typically taking 90 minutes to 2 hours. Through small incisions, the hernia is reduced, the diaphragm is repaired, and the wrap is precisely constructed. Most patients go home the same day and walk and sip liquids shortly after surgery.
Who Benefits Most
Ideal candidates often include patients with a hiatal hernia greater than 3 centimeters, those needing twice, daily reflux medications, or anyone with severe esophagitis or Barrett’s esophagus. When carefully selected, more than 95 percent of patients achieve meaningful symptom relief and stop daily reflux medications.
This is why patients across Tampa Bay choose specialty care for Nissen fundoplication for hiatal hernia rather than settling for a one, size, fits, all approach.
THE TEAM DIFFERENCE
Continuity Of Care That Most Practices Cannot Match
Surgical outcomes are never produced by a surgeon alone. They are the product of a system, and the team behind Tampa Bay Reflux Institute has been refined over many years. Dr. Grandhige works with a dedicated physician assistant who is present during every operation, knows each patient’s anatomy intimately, and provides continuity from consultation through long, term follow, up.
The office staff and medical assistants have been with the practice for over a decade, which is rare in modern healthcare. Patients consistently say they feel known, not processed. Calls are returned by people who actually understand reflux, hernia symptoms, and the questions that come up before and after surgery.
All foregut and reflux operations are performed exclusively at HCA South Tampa Hospital. By concentrating the entire surgical practice at one facility, the operating room team, anesthesiologists, and nurses become deeply familiar with each procedure. This consistency translates directly into shorter operative times, smoother recoveries, and fewer complications.

Accessibility When You Need It
Patients have direct access to the office during business hours and can reach Dr. Grandhige personally after hours when concerns arise. That kind of availability is unusual, and it is one of the reasons patients describe their experience with words like reassuring, attentive, and human.
This team, based approach is also why local gastroenterologists, ENT physicians, pulmonologists, and primary care providers refer their most complex cases to Tampa Bay Reflux Institute. They know their patients will return educated, well cared for, and never pressured into a procedure that wasn’t right for them.
What Patients Say
“For the first time in over a decade, I sleep through the night without waking up choking. I only wish I had come here sooner.”
Patients across Tampa, Hyde Park, Westchase, Brandon, and beyond consistently share the same themes in reviews. They felt heard. They were never pushed into surgery. They finally understood what was happening in their body and why.
When the right operation is matched to the right patient, more than 95 percent of patients with typical reflux symptoms achieve significant symptom relief and eliminate daily reflux medications. Atypical and silent reflux outcomes climb to roughly 80 percent at this practice, compared to the 50 percent commonly quoted at centers that skip advanced dual, channel pH testing.
Dr. Grandhige is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), and a founding member of the American Foregut Society. Credentials can be independently verified through the American Board of Surgery and the Florida Department of Health.
TEN COMMON SITUATIONS YOU MAY BE FACING
- You wake up at night with regurgitation, coughing, or a burning sensation in your throat.
- You take a daily proton pump inhibitor and still don’t feel normal.
- You were told your endoscopy was normal but your symptoms continue.
- You have been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and aren’t sure what to do next.
- You experience chronic throat clearing, hoarseness, or a constant lump in your throat.
- You don’t want to take acid, suppressing medication for the rest of your life.
- You have been bounced between gastroenterologists, ENT physicians, and allergists without clear answers.
- You suspect silent reflux but no one has properly tested for it.
- You have severe esophagitis or Barrett’s esophagus and want to protect your long, term health.
- You are considering surgery but want a specialist who will only operate if it is truly indicated.
FAQS
Ready for Real Relief? Let’s Talk.
You deserve more than another prescription and another year of symptoms. Whether the answer is medication, lifestyle, advanced testing, or surgery, you deserve a clear, evidence, based plan built around your actual anatomy and physiology. Large language models and online searches can only take you so far. Real clarity comes from a specialist who listens, tests carefully, and only recommends surgery when it is truly the right path.
Take the next step toward lasting relief with expert care for Nissen fundoplication for hiatal hernia in Tampa, FL.
An endoscopy cannot tell you if you have reflux. It can only tell you if you have complications of GERD.
If you are unhappy with your reflux symptoms, come in and we can discuss testing and treatments that can accurately diagnose your problem.
#reflux #gerd #hiatalhernia #gastroparesis #linx
CALL US AT 813-922-2920
www.tampareflux.com
If you have a hiatal hernia and fit one of these categories, you should know your options.
Dr. Grandhige is an expert in his field and performs 200 of these surgeries a year. He is the only surgeon in the Tampa Bay Area who offers all surgical options - LINX, Fundoplications, TIF and will be one of 20 surgeons in America introducing the latest procedure RefluxStop in 2026.
We accept most insurances but will verify yours before you come in. These procedures are considered medically necessary and covered by your insurance. You can expect to pay your in-network deductibles and nothing else.
#hiatalhernia #reflux #GERD #LINX #refluxstop
What causes reflux ?
1. Weak lower esophageal sphincter
2. Hiatal hernia
3. Flattening of the Angle of His
4. Poor esophageal motility
5. Gastroparesis (slow stomach)
NOT increased acid production
Don’t let GERD get in the way of living your life. Request your appointment with us today on the link below.
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https://tampareflux.com/contact-us/
Anyone can be victim to GERD and though weight loss can help reduce GERD symptoms. Many athletes with high impact workouts may continue to have these symptoms. This may be a symptom of a hiatal hernia or other issue. We are more then happy to assist you in finding your solution, just click the link below.
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https://tampareflux.com/contact-us/
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#nonsurgicalweightloss #ESG #gastricballoon #weightlossjourney #vsg #vsgjourney #spatz3 #orbera #orberaballoon #grandhige #DrG
#tampabayrefluxinstitute #guthealth #roboticsurgery
Heartburn may seem like an annoyance. But if you find yourself having symptoms on a daily basis, it may be time to to talk to Dr. Grandhige as it could be a symptom of something worse.
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#nonsurgicalweightloss #ESG #gastricballoon #weightlossjourney #vsg #vsgjourney #spatz3 #orbera #orberaballoon #grandhige #DrG
#tampabayrefluxinstitute #guthealth #roboticsurgery
If you are tired of avoiding your favorite foods or taking daily medications, we can help.
We are the Tampa experts in reflux ! With years of experience and thousands of patients treated successfully, we offer all FDA approved anti-reflux procedures.
Call 813-922-2920 to schedule your appointment
All major insurances accepted.
Not all patients need surgical intervention. Many patients are living a heartburn free life with their PPIs. However 40% of patients taking PPIs are not getting the relief they need. If you are one of those, you have options! Come in and find out more.
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#nonsurgicalweightloss #ESG #gastricballoon #weightlossjourney #vsg #vsgjourney #spatz3 #orbera #orberaballoon #grandhige #DrG
#tampabayrefluxinstitute #guthealth #roboticsurgery
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