title: Effects of bariatric surgery on gastroesophageal reflux.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are two prevalent conditions with important impact on health resource utilization around the world. Obesity is a known risk factor in the pathogenesis of GERD. When conservative measures fail, bariatric surgery remains the only option to lose weight and correct obesity-related comorbidities. The influence of bariatric surgery on GERD depends on which bariatric intervention is used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies indicate that laparoscopic gastric banding and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy have little influence on preexisting GERD symptoms and findings, but some patients may develop GERD after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. A number of studies have documented that laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass improves GERD symptoms and findings, making it the preferred procedure for morbid obese patients with concomitant GERD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current findings provide good arguments for searching for and treating GERD in patients scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery. The presence of GERD might represent a relative contraindication for sleeve gastrectomy or gastric banding or both. Gastric bypass might be the procedure of choice in morbid obese patients with GERD symptoms or findings or both.
authors.affiliation: aDivision of Gastroenterology, University Clinic of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, Inselspital Bern, Bern bDivision of Gastroenterology, Regional Hospital Langenthal, Langenthal, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Radu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tutuian
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000379:methods; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss