title: Laparoscopic approach in the treatment of epiphrenic diverticula: long-term results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thoracotomy represents the traditional surgical approach for the treatment of epiphrenic diverticula. A mini-invasive procedure has been reported in only few series. This article describes the authors experience with the laparoscopic approach for performing diverticulectomy, myotomy and Nissen-Rossetti fundoplication.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1994 to 2002, 13 patients (6 men and 7 women), mean age 57 years (range 45-71 years), with symptomatic epiphrenic diverticulum underwent laparoscopic diverticulectomy, myotomy, and Nissen-Rossetti fundoplication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean operative time was 145 min (range 110-180 min). No operative mortality was observed. The mean hospital stay was 13.9 days (range 7-25 years). The first three patients (23.1%) who underwent surgery experienced a partial disruption of the suture staple line. One patient (7.7%) died of a myocardial infarction. After a mean clinical follow-up period of 58 months (range 3-96 months), all the patients were symptom free.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic management of epiphrenic diverticula seems to be as safe and effective as the traditional approach, although a longer follow-up period is necessary to confirm the study results.
authors.affiliation: First Division of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Second University of Naples, Via Pansini, 5 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Genio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maffetton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Renzi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brusciano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Limongelli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cuttitta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Genio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004936:Diverticulum, Esophageal / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D018662:Fundoplication; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged