ABSTRACT
Surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) differs from most surgical procedures in that it is mechanistic rather than extirpative. As such, the focus of the procedure is on improving function and providing relief of the symptoms and complications of reflux while permitting normal swallowing in the absence of side effects such as bloating and the inability to vomit. According to the results of several recent publications, the modified Nissen fundoplication can be expected to produce these results in over 90% of patients for up to 10 years,1 exceeding the results achieved with medical therapy.2
