title: Surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
abstract: Managing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is difficult because it is a chronic relapsing disease. Surgical management of GERD is indicated only after medical management has failed. In patients who have the most advanced forms of GERD, surgical therapy is good for treating symptoms and healing esophagitis, but far from a gold standard. Freedom from symptoms, side effects, medical therapy, or reoperation cannot be guaranteed. Care must be taken when prescribing surgery for GERD, and it is best that an experienced surgeon at a specialty center participate in the patient's lifelong care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, 9500 Euclid Avenue, #NA21, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. ricet@ccf.org
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Eugene H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Blackstone
mesh_terms: D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans