title: [Laparoscopic surgery for benign esophageal diseases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minimally invasive surgery has the advantage of a lower rate of complications and can be used for benign esophageal diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report a single surgeon experience with laparoscopic surgery for benign esophageal diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective analysis of 421 patients (160 males) with benign esophageal disease, who were subjected to laparoscopic surgery by a single surgeon. Immediate mortality, surgical complications and long term results in terms of symptoms recurrence, were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The underlying diagnoses of the operated patients were Barrett's esophagus or esophagitis in 257, hiatal hernia in 91, achalasia in 68 and esophageal diverticula in five. Surgery obtained successful results in 90% of patients with Barrett's esophagus. Among patients with hiatal hernia, there was a 12% rate of complications and a 30% recurrence, when a mesh was not used. Among patients with achalasia the recurrence rate was less than 5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic surgery has a fair success rate in benign esophageal diseases, with a lower rate of complications.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirugía, Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile Dr. José Joaquín Aguirre, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Chile. ibraghet@redclinicauchile.cl
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Braghetto M
authors.forename: Owen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Korn B
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardemil H
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Valladares H
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masia L
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mandiola B
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000601:surgery; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000601:surgery; D006551:Hernia, Hiatal / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome