title: Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication in a community hospital: patient satisfaction survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for esophageal reflux in a community hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred nineteen patients (76%) of 157 patients having laparoscopic fundoplication for symptomatic reflux disease completed a questionnaire. All patients were evaluated with esophagoscopy, esophageal motility, and pH studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean follow-up was 49 months. Ninety-three patients (78%) no longer had heartburn. Seven patients still had daily heart-burn (5.9%). One hundred three patients (86.6%) had no sour regurgitation. Seventy-five patients (63%) had no dysphagia after surgery. Forty-two patients had some dysphagia after surgery (36.8%). Six patients (5.0%) had significant dysphagia. Only 4 patients stated that dysphagia interfered with their quality of life. Twenty-six patients (22.8%) thought that belching and bloating were worse, whereas 42 patients (36.8%) thought that belching and bloating were better after surgery. Antacids, histamine-2 antagonist, and proton pump inhibitors were still being used by 12.6%, 14.3%, and 21.8% of patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eighty-seven patients were completely satisfied (73.1%), 26 patients somewhat satisfied (22.8%), and 6 patients unsatisfied (5.3%) with surgery. Overall satisfaction with the surgery was 94.7%. One hundred five patients (88.2%) would recommend the surgery to others. Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication can be effectively done in a community hospital setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St John's Mercy Hospital, Washington, MO 63090, USA. tuckle@stlo.mercy.net
authors.forename: Leslie E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blatt
authors.forename: Norbert L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Donna T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Cassat
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Riechers
mesh_terms: D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018662:Fundoplication; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome