Long-term results of a randomized prospective study comparing medical and surgical treatment of Barrett's esophagus.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the results of medical treatment and antireflux surgery in patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE).


BACKGROUND
The treatment of choice in BE is still controversial. Some clinical studies suggest that surgery could be more effective than medical treatment in preventing BE from progressing to dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. However, data from prospective comparative studies are necessary to answer this question.


METHODS
One hundred one patients were included in a randomized prospective study, 43 with medical treatment and 58 with antireflux surgery. All patients underwent clinical, endoscopic, and histologic assessment. Functional studies were performed in all the operated patients and in a subgroup of patients receiving medical treatment. The median follow-up was 5 years (range 1-18) in the medical treatment group and 6 years (range 1-18) in the surgical treatment group.


RESULTS
Satisfactory clinical results (excellent to good) were achieved in 39 of the 43 patients (91%) undergoing medical treatment and in 53 of the 58 patients (91%) following antireflux surgery. The persistence of added inflammatory lesions was significantly higher in the medical treatment group. The metaplastic segment did not disappear in any case. Postoperative functional studies showed a significant decrease in the median percentage of total time with pH below 4, although 9 of the 58 patients (15%) showed pathologic rates of acid reflux. High-grade dysplasia appeared in 2 of the 43 patients (5%) in the medical treatment group and in 2 of the 58 patients (3%) in the surgical treatment group. In the latter, both patients presented with clinical and pH-metric recurrence. There was no case of malignancy after successful antireflux surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that there are no differences between the two types of treatment with respect to preventing BE from progressing to dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. However, successful antireflux surgery proved to be more efficient than medical treatment in this sense, perhaps because it completely controls acid and biliopancreatic reflux to the esophagus.
Parrilla
Pascual
P
Department of Surgery, University Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain. parricir@huva.es
Martínez de Haro
Luisa F
LF
Ortiz
Angeles
A
Munitiz
Vicente
V
Molina
Joaquín
J
Bermejo
Juan
J
Canteras
Manuel
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018662:Fundoplication; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D009853:Omeprazole