Revision of failed transoral incisionless fundoplication by subsequent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication

AIM:To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication after failed transoral incisionless fundoplication(TIF).METHODS:TIF is a new endoscopic approach for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD).In cases of TIF failure,subsequent laparoscopic fundoplication may be required.All patients from 2010 to 2013 who had persistence and objective evidence of recurrent GERD after TIF underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication.Primary outcome measures included operative time,blood loss,length of hospital stay and complications encountered.RESULTS:A total of 5 patients underwent revisional laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication(LNF)or gastrojejunostomy for recurrent GERD at a median interval of 24mo(range:16-34 mo)after TIF.Patients had recurrent reflux symptoms at an average of 1 mo following TIF(range:1-9 mo).Average operative time for revisionalsurgical intervention was 127 min(range:65-240 min)and all surgeries were performed with a minimal blood loss(<50 m L).There were no cases of gastric or esophageal perforation.Three patients had additional finding of a significant hiatal hernia that was fixed simultaneously.Median length of hospitalization was 2 d(range:1-3 d).All patients had resolution of symptoms at the last follow up.CONCLUSION:LNF is a feasible and safe option in a patient who has persistent GERD after a TIF.Previous TIF did not result in additional operative morbidity.     

腹腔镜胃底折叠术治疗胃食管反流性疾病

目的　探讨腹腔镜胃底折叠术治疗胃食管反流性疾病的可行性及安全性。方法　回顾性分析 2 0 0 1年 6月至 2 0 0 4年 3月对 4 2例行腹腔镜胃底折叠术的胃食管反流性疾病患者的临床资料。结果　 33例行腹腔镜Nissen胃底折叠术 ,9例行腹腔镜Toupet胃底折叠术。术后症状评分由11 5 6± 1 32降到 2 0 4± 1 36 ,食管下段压力由 (7 32± 1 34)mmHg提高到 (18 2 0± 3 4 3)mmHg ,2 4hpH值监测评分由 183 36± 96 76降低到 8 0 4± 2 12 ,均较手术前有明显改善 (P <0 0 1) ,并达到正常范围。无手术并发症 ,无中转开腹及死亡病例。结论　对于严重的胃食管反流性疾病 ,腹腔镜胃底折叠术是一种安全、有效的治疗方法     

Persistent dysphagia after laparoscopic fundoplication for gastro-esophageal reflux disease

SUMMARY.  Persistent postoperative dysphagia is a potentially severe complication of fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze our experience of laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD in 276 consecutive patients, to determine the frequency of postoperative dysphagia and assess treatments and outcomes. There was no relation between preoperative dysphagia, present in 24 patients (8.7%), and postoperative DeMeester grade 2 or 3 dysphagia, present in 25 patients (9.1%). Ten (3.6%) patients had clinically significant postoperative dysphagia, eight (2.9%) underwent esophageal dilation, with symptom improvement in five. Four (1.4%) of our patients (two with failed dilation) and 11 patients receiving antireflux surgery elsewhere, underwent re-operation for persistent dysphagia 12 months (median) after the first operation. DeMeester grade 0 or 1 dysphagia was obtained in 10/13 evaluable patients. Our experience is fully consistent with that of the recent literature. Redo surgery is necessary in only a small fraction of operated patients with GERD with good probability of resolving the dysphagia. Best outcomes are obtained when an anatomical cause of the dysphagia is documented preoperatively.     

Endoscopic anti-reflux therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease has an increasing incidence and prevalence worldwide. A significant proportion of patients have a suboptimal response to proton pump inhibitors or are unwilling to take lifelong medication due to concerns about long-term adverse effects. Endoscopic anti-reflux therapies offer a minimally invasive option for patients unwilling to undergo surgical treatment or take lifelong medication. The best candidates are those with a good response to proton pump inhibitors and without a significant sliding hiatal hernia. Transoral incisionless fundoplication and nonablative radiofrequency are the techniques with the largest body of evidence and that have been tested in several randomized clinical trials. Band-assisted ligation techniques, anti-reflux mucosectomy, anti-reflux mucosal ablation, and new plication devices have yielded promising results in recent noncontrolled studies. Nonetheless, the role of endoscopic procedures remains controversial due to limited long-term and comparative data, and no consensus exists in current clinical guidelines. This review provides an updated summary focused on the patient selection, technical details, clinical success, and safety of current and future endoscopic anti-reflux techniques.     

Laparoscopic fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) is a condition that develops when the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus leads to troublesome symptoms and/or complications. Heartburn is the cardinal symptom, often associated with regurgitation. In patients with endoscopy-negative heartburn refractory to proton pump inhibitor(PPI) therapy and when the diagnosis of GERD is in question, direct reflux testing by impedance-pH monitoring is warranted. Laparoscopic fundoplication is the standard surgical treatment for GERD. It is highly effective in curing GERD with a 80% success rate at 20-year follow-up. The Nissen fundoplication, consisting of a total(360°) wrap, is the most commonly performed antireflux operation. To reduce postoperative dysphagia and gas bloating, partial fundoplications are also used, including the posterior(Toupet) fundoplication, and the anterior(Dor) fundoplication. Currently, there is consensus to advise laparoscopic fundoplication in PPI-responsive GERD only for those patients who develop untoward side-effects or complications from PPI therapy. PPI resistance is the real challenge in GERD. There is consensus that carefully selected GERD patients refractory to PPI therapy are eligible for laparoscopic fundoplication, provided that objective evidence of reflux as the cause of ongoing symptoms has been obtained. For this purpose, impedance-pH monitoring is regarded as the diagnostic gold standard.     

间质性肺疾病与胃食管反流

胃食管反流可以引起慢性咳嗽和哮喘,除此之外胃食管反流和一些间质性肺疾病,如特发性肺纤维化、闭塞性细支气管炎伴机化性肺炎、结缔组织疾病中的系统性硬化相关性肺疾病等也存在比较明显的关系,胃食管反流在上述疾病中高发.虽然胃内容物造成的肺组织损伤在动物实验中已得到证实,但是胃食管反流与间质性肺疾病的明确关系还需要更深入的研究和实验来阐明.本文主要综述近年来关于胃食管反流与间质性肺疾病关系的研究进展.     

Management of gastro-esophageal reflux disease: Practice-oriented answers to clinical questions

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition which is frequently faced by primary care physicians and gastroenterologists. Improving management of GERD is crucial to maximise both patient care and resource utilization. In fact, the management of patients with GERD is complex and poses several questions to the clinician who faces them in clinical practice. For instance, many aspects should be considered, including the appropriateness of indication to endoscopy, the quality of the endoscopic examination, the use and interpretation of ambulatory reflux testing, and the choice and management of anti-reflux treatments, i.e., proton-pump inhibitors and surgery. Aim of the present review was to provide a comprehensive update on the clinical management of patients with GERD, through a literature review on the diagnosis and management of patients with GER symptoms. In details, we provide practice-oriented concise answers to clinical questions, with the aim of optimising patient management and healthcare resource use.     

Proton pump inhibitor resistance,the real challenge in gastro-esophageal reflux disease

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease(GERD)is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases.Although proton pump inhibitors(PPIs)represent the mainstay of treatment both for healing erosive esophagitis and for symptom relief,several studies have shown that up to 40%of GERD patients reported either partial or complete lack of response of their symptoms to a standard PPI dose once daily.Several mechanisms have been proposed as involved in PPIs resistance,including ineffective control of gastric acid secretion,esophageal hypersensitivity,ultrastructural and functional changes in the esophageal epithelium.The diagnostic evaluation of a refractory GERD patients should include an accurate clinical evaluation,upper endoscopy,esophageal manometry and ambulatory pH-impedance monitoring,which allows to discriminate non-erosive reflux disease patients from those presenting esophageal hypersensitivity or functional heartburn.Treatment has been primarily based on doubling the PPI dose or switching to another PPI.Patients with proven disease,not responding to PPI twice daily,are eligible for anti-reflux surgery.     

Outcome of nonerosive gastro-esophageal reflux disease patients with pathological acid exposure

AIM: To assess the management and outcome of nonerosive gastro-esophageal reflux disease (NERD) patients who were identified retrospectively, after a 5-year follow-up.METHODS: We included patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms who had a negative endoscopy result and pathological 24-h esophageal pH-monitoring while off therapy. We interviewed them after an average period of 5 years (range 3.5-7 years) by means of a structured questionnaire to assess presence of GERD symptoms, related therapy, updated endoscopic data and other features. We assessed predictors of esophagitis development by means of univariate and multivariate statistical analysis.RESULTS: 260 patients (137 women) were included. Predominant GERD symptoms were heartburn and regurgitation in 103/260 (40%). 70% received a maintenance treatment, which was proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in 55% of cases. An average number of 1.5 symptomatic relapses per patient/year of followup were observed. A progression to erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (ERD) was found in 58/193 (30.0%) of patients undergoing repeat endoscopy;72% of these were Los Angeles grade A-B.CONCLUSION: This study shows that progression to ERD occurs in about 5% of NERD cases per year,despite therapy. Only two factors consistently and independently influence progression: smoking and absence of PPI therapy.     

Is patient satisfaction sufficient to validate endoscopic anti-reflux treatments?

Endoscopic anti-reflux treatment is emerging as a new option for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) treatment in patients with the same indications as for laparoscopic fundoplication. There are many techniques, the first of which are transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) and nonablative radio-frequency (STRETTA) that have been tested with comparative studies and randomized controlled trials, whereas the other more recent ones still require a deeper evaluation. The purpose of the latter is to verify whether reflux is abolished or significantly reduced after intervention, whether there is a valid high pressure zone at the gastroesophageal junction, and whether esophagitis, when present, has disappeared. Unfortunately in a certain number of cases, and especially in the more recently introduced ones, the evaluation has been based almost exclusively on subjective criteria, such as improvement in the quality of life, remission of heartburn and regurgitation, and reduction or suspension of antacid and antisecretory drug consumption. However, with the most studied techniques such as TIF and STRETTA, an improvement in symptoms better than that of laparoscopic fundoplication can often be observed, whereas the number of acid episodes and acid exposure time are similar or higher, as if the acid refluxes are better tolerated by these patients. The suspicion of a local hyposensitivity taking place after anti-reflux endoscopic intervention seems confirmed by a Bernstein test at least for STRETTA. This examination should be done for all the other techniques, both old and new, to identify the ones that reassure rather than cure. In conclusion, the evaluation of the effectiveness of the endoscopic anti-reflux techniques should not be based exclusively on subjective criteria, but should also be confirmed by objective examinations, because there might be a gap between the improvement in symptoms declared by the patient and the underlying pathophysiologic alterations of GERD.     

Clinical usefulness of adherence to gastro-esophageal reflux disease guideline by Spanish gastroenterologists

AIM: To investigate usefulness of adherence to gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) guideline established by the Spanish Association of Gastroenterology.METHODS: Prospective, observational and multicentre study of 301 patients with typical symptoms of GERD who should be managed in accordance with guidelines and were attended by gastroenterologists in daily practice. Patients (aged > 18 years) were eligible for inclusion if they had typical symptoms of GERD (heartburn and/or acid regurgitation) as the major complaint in the presence or absence of accompanying atypical symptoms, such as dyspeptic symptoms and/or supraesophageal symptoms. Diagnostic and therapeutic decisions should be made based on specific recommendations of the Spanish clinical practice guideline for GERD which is a widely disseminated and well known instrument among Spanish in digestive disease specialists.RESULTS: Endoscopy was indicated in 123 (41%) patients: 50 with alarm symptoms, 32 with age > 50 years without alarm symptom. Seventy-two patients (58.5%) had esophagitis (grade A, 23, grade B, 28, grade C, 18, grade D, 3). In the presence of alarm symptoms, endoscopy was indicated consistently with recommendations in 98% of cases. However, in the absence of alarm symptoms, endoscopy was indicated in 33% of patients > 50 years (not recommended by the guideline). Adherence for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) therapy was 80%, but doses prescribed were lower (half) in 5% of cases and higher (double) in 15%. Adherence regarding duration of PPI therapy was 69%; duration was shorter than recommended in 1% (4 wk in esophagitis grades C-D) or longer in 30% (8 wk in esophagitis grades A-B or in patients without endoscopy). Treatment response was higher when PPI doses were consistent with guidelines, although differences were not significant (95% vs 85%).CONCLUSION: GERD guideline compliance was quite good although endoscopy was over indicated in patients > 50 years without alarm symptoms; PPIs were prescribed at higher doses and longer duration.     

根除幽门螺杆菌与胃食管反流病的关系研究

目的探讨根除幽门螺杆菌（H．pylori）与胃食管反流病（GERD）的关系。方法本研究采用食管内24hpH监测的方法，定量观察H．pylori阳性GERD患者根除H．pylori和单用兰索拉唑治疗3月后食管酸暴露的变化，以及H．pylori阳性慢性浅表性胃炎（CSG）根除H．pylori和姑息治疗3月后食管酸暴露的变化。RE组：反流性食管炎（RE）表现患者60例，按就诊门诊号随机分为治疗组和对照组。治疗组采用丽珠唯三联＋兰索拉唑方案，对照组单用兰索拉唑。CSG组：慢性浅表性胃炎（CSG）患者60例，按就诊门诊号随机分为治疗组和对照组。治疗组均采用丽珠唯三联方案，对照组不采用药物治疗。以上两组待H．pylori根除后，对比研究H．pylori根除组和对照组3月后食管24hpH监测参数。结果RE组：H．pylori根除和单用兰索拉唑治疗3月后两组24h食管pH监测主要观察5项指标均无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。CSG组：H．pylori根除和姑息治疗3月两组24h食管pH监测主要观察5项指标均无显著性差异（P〉0．05）。结论GERD患者根除幽门螺杆菌后食管酸暴露无明显改变，CSG患者根除幽门螺杆菌后食管酸暴露无明显改变，H．pylori感染可能与GERD的转归和发生无关。     

Comparative clinical trial of S-pantoprazole versus racemic pantoprazole in the treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease

INTRODUCTION The primary treatment goals in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are relief of symptoms, prevention of symptom relapse, healing of erosive esophagitis, and prevention of complications of esophagitis[1]. Proton pump inhibito…     

Ultrasonographic study of postcibal gastro-esophageal reflux and gastric emptying in infants with recurrent respiratory disease

AIM: To check the utility of postcibal ultrasonography for the evaluation of reflux in relation to gastric emptying in infants with recurrent respiratory symptoms and to link imaging with clinical data. METHODS: Esophageal reflux (hyperechoic retrograde filling) and gastric emptying (antral areas) were quantified before and after ingestion of a standard formula in 35 untreated infants (13 with chronic cough, 22 with recurrent bronchitis) and in 31 controls. RESULTS: The prevalence of abnormal (≥8 episodes) postcibal refluxes was 74% in patients and 3% in controls. Number, duration of the longest episode and extent of refluxes were significantly higher in patients compared to controls. Number of refluxes was higher in patients with symptomatic refluxes than in those without. Infants with recurrent bronchitis had more refluxes than those with chronic cough and controls. Extent and timing of gastric emptying were similar in patients and controls. CONCLUSION: Esophageal ultrasonography is a useful and physiological test in infants with recurrent respiratory diseases, which have a high prevalence of abnormal postcibal esophageal reflux and a gastric emptying similar to that of normal controls. Esophageal reflux is more severe in subjects with recurrent bronchitis than in those with chronic cough.     

Laparoscopic surgery for gastro-esophageal acid reflux disease

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease is a troublesome disease for many patients, severely affecting their quality of life. Choice of treatment depends on a combination of patient characteristics and preferences, esophageal motility and damage of reflux, symptom severity and symptom correlation to acid reflux and physician preferences. Success of treatment depends on tailoring treatment modalities to the individual patient and adequate selection of treatment choice. PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) were searched for systematic reviews with an abstract, publication date within the last five years, in humans only, on key terms (laparosc* OR laparoscopy*) AND (fundoplication OR reflux* OR GORD OR GERD OR nissen OR toupet) NOT (achal* OR pediat*). Last search was performed on July 23nd and in total 54 articles were evaluated as relevant from this search. The laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication is the therapy of choice for normal-weight GERD patients qualifying for laparoscopic surgery. No better pharmaceutical, endoluminal or surgical alternatives are present to date. No firm conclusion can be stated on its cost-effectiveness. Results have to be awaited comparing the laparoscopic 180-degree anterior fundoplication with the Toupet fundoplication to be a possible better surgical alternative. Division of the short gastric vessels is not to be recommended, nor is the use of a bougie or a mesh in the vast majority of GERD patients undergoing surgery. The use of a robot is not recommended. Anti-reflux surgery is to be considered expert surgery, but there is no clear consensus what is to be called an ‘expert surgeon’. As for setting, ambulatory settings seem promising although high-level evidence is lacking.     

Test-based exclusion diets in gastro-esophageal reflux disease patients: A randomized controlled pilot trial

AIM:To investigate the clinical response of gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)symptoms to exclusion diets based on food intolerance tests.METHODS:A double blind,randomized,controlled pilot trial was performed in 38 GERD patients partially or completely non-responders to proton pump inhibitors(PPI)treatment.Fasting blood samples from each patients were obtained;leukocytotoxic test was performed by incubating the blood with a panel of 60food items to be tested.The reaction of leukocytes(rounding,vacuolization,lack of movement,flattening,fragmentation or disintegration of cell wall)was then evaluated by optical microscopy and rated as follows:level 0=negative,level 1=slightly positive,level 2=moderately positive,and level 3=highly positive.A“true”diet excluding food items inducing moderatesevere reactions,and a“control”diet including them was developed for each patient.Then,twenty patients received the“true”diet and 18 the“control”diet;after one month(T1)symptoms severity was scored by the GERD impact scale(GIS).Hence,patients in the“control”group were switched to the“true”diet,and symptom severity was re-assessed after three months(T2).RESULTS:At baseline(T0)the mean GIS global score was 6.68(range:5-12)with no difference between“true”and control group(6.6±1.19 vs 6.7±1.7).All patients reacted moderately/severely to at least 1 food(range:5-19),with a significantly greater number of food substances inducing reaction in controls compared with the“true”diet group(11.6 vs 7.0,P<0.001).Food items more frequently involved were milk,lettuce,brewer’s yeast,pork,coffee,rice,sole asparagus,and tuna,followed by eggs,tomato,grain,shrimps,and chemical yeast.At T1 both groups displayed a reduction of GIS score(“true”group 3.3±1.7,-50%,P=0.001;control group 4.9±2.8,-26.9%,P=0.02),although the GIS score was significantly lower in“true”vs“control”group(P=0.04).At T2,after the diet switch,the“control”group showed a further reduction in GIS score(2.7±1.9,-44.9%,P=0.01),while the“true”group did not(2.6±1.8,-21.3%,P=0.19),so that the GIS scores didn’t differ between the two groups.CONCLUSION:Our results suggest that food intolerance may play a role in GERD symptoms development,and leucocytotoxic test-based exclusion diets may be a possible therapeutic approach when PPI are not effective or indicated.     

Laparoscopic fundoplication versus lansoprazole for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. A pH-metric comparison

BACKGROUND: Treatment strategies that abolish abnormal reflux could prevent long-term complications of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. AIMS: To compare the efficacy of laparoscopic fundoplication and lansoprazole in abolishing abnormal reflux in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. PATIENTS: Study population comprised 130 patients referred for possible antireflux surgery and with heartburn as the dominant symptom. METHODS: After oesophageal manometric and pH-metric evaluation and detailed information 55 patients asked to undergo laparoscopic antireflux surgery while 75 chose a medical treatment regimen based on lansoprazole. Treatment efficacy was assessed by ambulatory oesophageal pH-monitoring. RESULTS: All 55 patients who underwent fundoplication became free of heartburn: oesophageal pH-monitoring gave normal results in 85%. In patients treated with lansoprazole, at individualized daily dosages titrated to abolish both heartburn and abnormal acid reflux, normal pH-metric results were obtained in 96% of cases (p<0.05 vs surgically treated patients). CONCLUSIONS: Lansoprazole at individualized dosages was significantly more effective than laparoscopic fundoplication, in the short-term, in abolishing abnormal reflux in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients.     

The diagnostic value of GerdQ in subjects with atypical symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux disease

Background: Symptoms are essential in the clinical diagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Questionnaires such as GerdQ have been developed as diagnostic aids. GerdQ has been thoroughly validated in well-characterized GERD patients, but has not yet been fully evaluated in a population that includes subjects with atypical symptoms.

Aim: To evaluate GerdQ in a population with typical and/or atypical symptoms of GERD, defined by 24-h pH monitoring. The secondary aim was to investigate the outcome of GerdQ depending on the response to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment.

Methods: The study included 646 subjects referred for 24-h pH monitoring due to a clinical suspicion of GERD. All subjects completed GerdQ before performing a 24-h pH monitoring.

Results: In total, 377 (58%) subjects were diagnosed with GERD based on symptoms and 24-h pH monitoring (GERD_pH). Of these, 46% had atypical main symptoms. Overall, GerdQ (at cut-off 8) predicted GERD_pH with a sensitivity and specificity of 62% and 74%, respectively. A high specificity but poor sensitivity for diagnosis of GERD_pH was found for atypical main symptoms such as cough, dysphagia and globus. GerdQ had a relatively high sensitivity and specificity in predicting PPI response and a PPV of 99% at cut-off 8.

Conclusions: GerdQ has a diagnostic value in an unselected population presenting with typical and/or atypical symptoms of GERD, but a low sensitivity for diagnosis of GERD_pH was found in subjects with predominant symptoms such as cough, dysphagia and globus.     

Influence of age on outcome of total laparoscopic fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease

AIM： To demonstrate that age does not influence the choice of treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD）. We hypothesized that the outcome of total fundoplication in patients 〉 65 years is similar to that of patients aged ≤ 65 years. METHODS： Four hundred and twenty consecutive patients underwent total laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD. Three hundred and fifty-five patients were younger than 65 years （group Y）, and 65 patients were 65 years or older （group E）. The following elements were considered： presence, duration, and severity of GERD symptoms; presence of a hiatal hernia; manometric evaluation, 24 h pH-monitoring data, duration of operation; incidence of complications; and length of hospital stay. RESULTS： Elderly patients more often had atypical symptoms of GERD and at manometric evaluation had a higher rate of impaired esophageal peristalsis in comparison with younger patients. A mild intensity of heartburn often leads physicians to underestimate the severity of erosive esophagitis. The duration of the operation was similar between the two groups. The incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications was low and the difference was not statistically significant between the two groups. An excellent outcome was observed in 92.9% young patients and 91.9% elderly patients. CONCLUSION： Laparoscopic antireflux surgery is a safe and effective treatment for GERD even in elderly patients, warranting low morbidity and mortality rates and a significant improvement of symptoms comparable to younger patients.     

Systematic review:Laparoscopic fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease in partial responders to proton pump inhibitors

AIM:To assess laparoscopic fundoplication(LF)in partial responders to proton pump inhibitors(PPIs)for gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD).METHODS:We systematically searched PubMed and Embase(1966-Dec 2011)for articles reporting data on LF efficacy in partial responders.Due to a lack of randomized controlled trials,observational studies were included.Of 558 articles screened,17 were eligible for inclusion.Prevalence data for individual symptoms were collated across studies according to mutually compatible time points(before and/or after LF).Where suitable,prevalence data were presented as percentage of patients reporting symptoms of any frequency or severity.RESULTS:Due to a lack of standardized reporting of symptoms,the proportion of patients experiencing symptoms was recorded across studies where possible.After LF,the proportion of partial responders with heartburn was reduced from 93.1%(5 studies)to 3.8%(5 studies),with similar results observed for regurgitation[from 78.4%(4 studies)to 1.9%(4 studies)].However,10 years after LF,35.8%(2 studies)of partial responders reported heartburn and 29.1%(1 study)reported regurgitation.The proportion using acidsuppressive medication also increased,from 8.8%(4studies)in the year after LF to 18.2%(2 studies)at 10years.In the only study comparing partial responders to PPI therapy with complete responders,higher symptom scores and more frequent acid-suppressive medication use were seen in partial responders after LF.CONCLUSION:GERD symptoms improve after LF,but subsequently recur,and acid-suppressive medication use increases.LF may be less effective in partial responders than in complete responders.