Role of laparoscopic antireflux surgery in the management of chronic GERD symptoms.

Since the application of minimally invasive techniques to antireflux surgery eight years ago, there has been a rapid increase in the use of laparoscopic antireflux surgery. It is increasingly used as an alternative to long term medical therapy with proton pump inhibitors. The factors responsible for the rapid popularity of this procedure are reviewed, and the choice of techniques, current indications and available literature on the outcomes of these procedures are discussed.