MEDICAL THERAPY OF GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX AND MANAGEMENT OF ESOPHAGEAL STRICTURES

The goals of modern medical therapy for gastroesophageal reflux diseas e are threefold: first, eliminate symptoms; second, heal injured esoph ageal mucosa; third, manage and/or prevent complications. Selection of a particular medical regimen depends on the severity of the disease, effectiveness of the therapy, cost, and convenience of the medical reg imen. An accurate diagnosis needs to be made in patients suspected wit h esophageal strictures. If there is a treatable underlying disease, s pecific therapy is essential. The goal of dilation therapy should be e stablished and set about to accomplish in a timely, but unhurried fash ion. Fluoroscopy and wire-guided dilators should be used liberally, es pecially for difficult strictures.