Update on fundoplication for the treatment of GERD

Abstract

Rudolph Nissen firstly implemented the idea of surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux more than 55 years ago. Today, laparoscopic fundoplication has become the surgical "golden standard" for the treatment of GERD. However, the initial enthusiasm and increasing number of performed procedures in the early 1990s declined dramatically between 2000 and 2006. Despite its excellent outcome, laparoscopic fundoplication is only offered to a minority of patients who are suffering from GERD. In this article we review the current indications for antireflux surgery, technical and intraoperative aspects of fundoplication, perioperative complications as well as short and long-term outcome. The focus is on the laparoscopic approach as the current surgical procedure of choice.