CURRENT STATUS AND TRENDS IN LAPAROSCOPIC ANTIREFLUX SURGERY - RESULTS OF A CONSENSUS MEETING

Laparoscopic surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease has replaced the open approach in several institutions, and it is likely to become the ''standard'' for treatment in the near future. Members of five Eur opean surgical centers with extensive experience in pathophysiological research, diagnostic testing, and conventional surgery for esophageal disease met after five years of experience in using laparoscopic anti reflux surgery, and established a plan to evaluate the potential for c onsensus, among the centers involved in the surgical management of the disease. The consensus process started with a pathophysiological asse ssment of the reporting requirements for diagnostic workup. To allow a thorough appreciation of the surgical techniques used by all the part icipants, experience was exchanged in collaborative operations in are experimental surgical laboratory. It was concluded that the pathophysi ological background to the disease is multifactorial, as many publicat ions have shown in recent years. The group's meetings and discussions established a consensus list for the preoperative assessment of patien ts suspected of having gastroesophageal reflux disease, as well as a c ommon list of operative techniques for successful antireflux surgery.