Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: Medical or surgical treatment? Report of an interactive workshop

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract. With the introduction of proton pump inhibitors medical treatment of GERD has been significantly improved. However, the development of laparoscopic antireflux surgery resulted in an increasing interest of surgeons in this disease. An interactive meeting was organized in order to develop an agreement between gastoenterologists and surgeons regarding therapeutic decisions and this is the main topic of this paper.     

A comparison of spur valve and percutaneous enterostomy in Roux-Y portoente rostomy for biliary atresia

目的　对肝门空肠吻合加空肠胆支造瘘术与加胆支防返流瓣成形术 ,这两种术式的优缺点进行比较。方法　A组 2 4例胆道闭锁行肝门空肠Roux Y吻合 ,空肠胆支造瘘术。B组为另外 2 4例行肝门空肠Roux Y吻合 ,空肠胆支防返流瓣成形术。对这两组术后情况进行回顾性分析。结果　A组 10例存活 ,无黄疸 9例 ,最大的已 9岁 ,1例出现肝脾肿大、食道静脉曲张。 1例带黄疸存活并出现门脉高压 ,现已 8岁。B组存活 10例 ,其中无黄疸存活 8例。结论　两组病例术后排胆汁 (或排黄绿色大便 )时间、胆管炎发生次数等临床表现进行了比较。排胆汁时间相似 ,无显著差异。术后胆管炎发生率也无显著差异。两种手术都有防返流作用 ,而空肠胆支防返流瓣免除了经皮肤的空肠胆支造瘘。     

胃癌行胃部分切除、吻合后残胃领状返折的预后和反流情况的临床分析

目的是探讨胃癌可行胃部分切除,吻合后残胃领状返折,术后患者的预后和反流情况分析。方法 2000年3月至2014年3月360例。在我院期间收治的胃癌,行手术治疗病例分两组手术方式:对照组全胃切除(180例)和胃部分切除组(180例),比较两组手术方式,术后恢复情况,跟踪随访术后并发症,术后反流,生成率之间差别。结果胃部分切除患者术后恢复情况快,并发症少,低于全胃切除组,反流性食管炎低于全胃切除组。结论胃癌患者中,根据病灶大小、部位,病灶转移情况,如果可行胃部分切除能达到治疗目的胃癌患者,行胃部分切除,较全胃切除患者比较,手术损伤小,生理功能存在,术后并发症及风险也小,相对恢复较好,不影响生存率,提高患者术后预后水平,同时吻合后残胃领状返折可减轻和改善术后反流情况。     

Asthma and gastroesophageal reflux: Fundoplication decreases need for systemic corticosteroids

An association between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and asthma has been suggested for many decades. Although antireflux therapy (medical and surgical) has been shown to be beneficial in patients with asthma, response to therapy has not been well quantified. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term outcome in patients with asthma and associated GER undergoing fundoplication. From a database of more than 600 patients with GER treated surgically between 1991 and 1996, 39 patients with asthma as their primary indication for surgery were identified. Asthma symptom scores were determined using the National Asthma Education Program classification, and medication frequency scores were determined preoperatively and at latest follow-up (median follow-up 2.7 years). Comparisons were made using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Asthma symptom scores decreased significantly after antireflux surgery. More important, the medication scores for use of systemic corticosteroids decreased significantly postoperatively (2.2 preoperatively vs. 0.7 postoperatively; P = 0.0001). Of the nine patients who required daily oral corticosteroids, seven have discontinued treatment entirely (78%). In patients with asthma associated with GER, symptoms of asthma are improved following fundoplication. Especially important has been the ability to wean patients from systemic corticosteroids postoperatively. Fundoplication should be offered to those patients with GER-associated asthma, especially those who are steroid dependent. Presented at the Thirty-Ninth Annual Meeting of The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, New Orleans, La., May 17–20, 1998.     

腹腔镜抗反流手术治疗胃食管反流病的总体疗效及手术指征选择

目的:探讨腹腔镜抗反流手术治疗胃食管反流病的疗效及手术指征选择。方法:总结2000年至2013年收治的185例胃食管反流病病人的临床资料和术后近期远期结果(生活质量、病人满意率、抗反流手术相关并发症及复发),分析腹腔镜抗反流手术的安全性和有效性。结果:185例病人均顺利施行腹腔镜抗反流手术(食管裂孔修补+胃底折叠),手术用时50~200 min,术中失血10~100 mL,无中转开腹和手术死亡病例。20例病人发生围手术期并发症,经针对性处理后痊愈;术后并发慢性吞咽困难16例,多为轻、中度;163例GERD病人术后日常生活质量改善明显,手术满意率达88.1%;166例病人术前胃食管反流症状典型,术后152例症状明显改善(91.6%),14例无缓解。随访见8例术后复发,其中2例合并食管裂孔疝复发。结论:腹腔镜手术治疗胃食管反流病安全可行、疗效可靠,但术前应严格把握手术适应证。     

Laparoscopic secondary antireflux procedure after PEG placement in children

Background: This study investigates the feasibility of performing a subsequent laparoscopic antireflux procedure after former placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Methods: Between 1997 and 1998, five patients with a gastrostomy in place presented with an indication for laparoscopic antireflux procedure due to persisting vomiting. Results: All patients were managed laparoscopically with a four-trocar technique. Conclusions: Primary PEG placement has no adverse effects on a later secondary antireflux procedure. In some cases, four rather than five trocars can be used. Received: 7 December 1999/Accepted: 7 March 2000/Online publication: 29 August 2000     

Dysphagia after laparoscopic antireflux surgery: a problem of hiatal closure more than a problem of the wrap

Background Postoperative dysphagia after laparoscopic antireflux surgery usually is transient and resolves within weeks after surgery. Persistent dysphagia develops in a small percentage of patients after surgery. There still is debate about whether postoperative dysphagia is caused by the type or placement of the fundic wrap or by mechanical obstruction of the hiatal crura. This study aimed to investigate patients who experienced recurrent or persistent dysphagia after laparoscopic antireflux surgery, and to identify the morphologic reason for this complication. Methods A sample of 50 patients consecutively referred to the authors’ unit with recurrent, persistent, or new-onset of dysphagia after laparoscopic antireflux surgery were prospectively reviewed to identify the morphologic cause of postoperative dysphagia. According to their radiologic findings, these patients were divided into three groups: patients with signs of obstruction at or above the gastroesophageal junction suspicious of crural stenosis (group A; n = 18), patients with signs of total or partial migration of the wrap intrathoracically (group B; n = 27), and patients in whom the hiatal closure was radiologically assessed to be correct with a supposed stenosis of the wrap (group C; n = 5). The exact diagnosis of a too tight (group A) or too loose (group B) hiatus in contrast to a too tight wrap (group C) was established during laparoscopic redo surgery (groups B and C) or by x-ray during pneumatic dilation (group A). Results For all 18 group A patients, intraoperative x-ray during pneumatic dilation showed the typical signs of hiatal tightness. Of these, 15 were free of symptoms after dilation, and 3 had to undergo laparoscopic redo surgery because of persistent dysphagia. In all these patients, the hiatal closure was narrowing the esophagus. All the group B patients underwent laparoscopic redo surgery because of intrathoracic wrap migration. Intraoperatively, all the patients had an intact fundoplication, which slipped above the diaphragm. Definitely, only in 10% of all 50 patients (group C) presenting with the symptom of dysphagia, was the morphologic reason for the obstruction a problem of the fundic wrap. Conclusions In most patients, postoperative dysphagia is more a problem of hiatal closure than a problem of the fundic wrap. Poster presentation at the 45th annual meeting of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), Digestive Disease Week (DDW), New Orleans, Louisiana, 15–19 May, 2004     

Clinical outcome of Laparoscopic antireflux surgery for patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Background The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is higher among subjects with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This study aimed to assess the effect of IBS on the postoperative outcome of antireflux surgery.Methods For this study, 102 patients who underwent laparoscopic fundoplication were screened preoperatively for IBS with the Rome II criteria. There were 32 patients in the IBS group and 70 patients in the non-IBS group. Most of the patients (97%) (31 of 32 IBS and 68 of 70 non-IBS patients) had both pre- and postoperative IBS evaluation. A visual analog GERD-specific scoring scale was used to evaluate GERD symptoms prospectively.Results In both groups, GERD symptom scores were statistically improved postoperatively. Of the 31 IBS patients 25 (80.6%) showed a reduction in their symptoms below the Rome II criteria for IBS diagnosis postoperatively.Conclusion Irritable bowel syndrome does not have a negative effect on the outcome of laparoscopic antireflux surgery. Surgical correction of GERD may improve the severity of irritable bowel symptoms.     

Pathophysiological Measurement and Results After Laparoscopic Fundoplication for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Purpose: Both surgical and conservative treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) are controversial. The aim of this prosepective study was to examine outcomes after laparoscopic antireflux surgery. Methods: The subjects were 143 patients who underwent laparoscopic antireflux surgery. Following diagnostic procedures 126 patients were allocated to a total fundoplication group (360°C, Nissen-DeMeester) and 17, to a posterior semifundoplication group (250–270°, Toupet). All complications were registered, and pathophysiological and outcome data were examined 3, 6, and 9 months after surgery. Results: By 6 months after surgery the mean lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure had improved significantly, to 14.8 mmHg in the Nissen-DeMeester group, and to 12.1 mmHg in the Toupet group, corresponding to successful prevention of esophageal reflux in both groups. Dysphagia was more common in the early postoperative period after total fundic wrap (17% vs 12%), but this difference disappeared in time. All patients reported complete relief of reflux symptoms, although two of those who underwent the Nissen-DeMeester fundoplication experienced relapse of GERD and required open reconstruction (1.4%). The laparoscopic procedure was converted to open surgery in three patients (2%). There were no associated deaths and the perioperative complication rate was 4.2%. Conclusion: Laparoscopic antireflux surgery is an effective treatment for GERD. More than 93% of the patients in this series rated their outcome as good to excellent following the operation. Received: December 10, 2001 / Accepted: May 7, 2002 Reprint requests to: K. Ludwig