Hiatal hernia complicated by oesophageal stricture. Surgical treatment and results. A follow-up study.

During a 10-year period, 1967-1976, 57 patients were operated upon for hiatal hernia and gastro-oesophageal reflux complicated by oesophageal stricture. Forty-four patients were managed by various surgical antireflux procedures combined with dilation of the stricture. In 12 patients the stricture was resected and the oesophageal continuity restored by oesophagogastrostomy. The primary mortality was 3.5%. Fifty-two patients were carefully followed up postoperatively by periodic control examiniations. The results of the treatment are presented. The main cause of unsatisfactory postoperative results was gastro-oesophageal reflux uncorrected by the surgical procedure. In the patients subjected to a hernia repair the failure of the antireflux procedure was due mainly to a shortened oesophagus associated with the stricture. It is concluded that most of these strictures can be successfully treated by dilation after establishment of control of the pathological reflux by means of an antireflux surgical procedure. The location, width, length and rigidity of the stricture, as revealed at the preoperative examination, are not decisive for the choice of therapeutic approach.