[Treatment of irreducible hiatal hernia with reflux esophagitis by Collis-Niessen gastroplasty-fundoplication. Indications, technique, results of a series of 17 cases].

Hiatus hernia with reflux can be asymptomatic or can lead to severe, complicated esophagitis or even to metaplasia, dysplasia and carcinoma. Ideally all refluxing patients with esophagitis who are not easily and completely controlled with medical therapy should undergo anti-reflux surgery before complications such as ulcers, stricture or columnar metaplasia (Barrett's esophagus) occur. When esophagitis is long-lasting or severe, shortening of the esophagus is common. In such cases the esophagus must be "lengthened" before an anti-reflux procedure can be performed safely. This is the Collis gastroplasty. We have performed 17 Collis-Nissen procedures over 5 years for complicated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Results were good to excellent in 8 cases, satisfactory in 6 and poor in 3. We conclude that a complete preoperative workup with esophagoscopy (and biopsies), 24-hour pH monitoring and esophageal manometry must be performed in all patients with complicated GERD to allow the best operative procedure to be chosen (gastroplasty-fundoplication, resection or total duodenal diversion). The role of alkaline reflux is also discussed.