Surgical Management of the Complications of Reflux Esophagitis

Abstract

Knowledge regarding the esophagus is probably more deficient than is that of any other organ of the gastrointestinal tract. Attention has been drawn only relatively recently to a condition characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the terminal portion of the esophagus that leads in some instances to fibrosis and stricture. The term "reflux esophagitis" has been given to this condition because of its frequent occurrence under circumstances leading to the reflux of acid or alkaline secretions into the esophagus. Many clinical states may lead to reflux esophagitis, and the forms of treatment are equally diverse. This lack of uniformity in management is particularly apparent when surgical therapy is considered. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the indications for operation, the choice of operative procedure, and the results of treatment. In addition, a new surgical procedure will be discussed briefly. Review of Literature Several excellent studies of the problem