Gastroesophageal reflux.

GER is a major pediatric disease. The respiratory, nutritional, and inflammatory complications of this disease process, invisibly hidden in the gastroesophageal junction, have a profound effect on the quality and sometimes the very life of infants and children. The astute pediatrician and surgeon should always keep this disease process in mind when dealing with these problems of children. Having a high suspicion of GER is often necessary to find this hidden enemy. The Nissen fundoplication and the Thal fundoplication are equally successful in the treatment of GER in children. However, the complication rate with the Nissen fundoplication is higher than with the Thal. We feel that the Thal does an outstanding job of treating GER while maintaining normal gastroesophageal function in the developing child, and is therefore our operation of choice for GER.