TY - JOUR
T1 - Medical or invasive therapy for GERD
T2 - An acidulous analysis
AU - Spechler, Stuart Jon
PY - 2003/3/1
Y1 - 2003/3/1
N2 - This review critically appraises the evidence on the benefits and costs of the available treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and concludes that antireflux surgery has no clear advantages over medical therapy for efficacy of healing, prevention of complications, safety, side effects, and cost. Indeed, medical therapy is safer and, probably, more cost-effective. Compared with medically treated patients, those who have successful fundoplication may be less inconvenienced by GERD because they are less likely to need to take pills on a daily basis. The patient and physician must judge whether that benefit justifies the risks of surgery for a benign condition. There is not yet sufficient data available on the endoscopic antireflux procedures to make meaningful conclusions regarding their safety and efficacy.
AB - This review critically appraises the evidence on the benefits and costs of the available treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and concludes that antireflux surgery has no clear advantages over medical therapy for efficacy of healing, prevention of complications, safety, side effects, and cost. Indeed, medical therapy is safer and, probably, more cost-effective. Compared with medically treated patients, those who have successful fundoplication may be less inconvenienced by GERD because they are less likely to need to take pills on a daily basis. The patient and physician must judge whether that benefit justifies the risks of surgery for a benign condition. There is not yet sufficient data available on the endoscopic antireflux procedures to make meaningful conclusions regarding their safety and efficacy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0141734063&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0141734063&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1053/cgh.2003.50013
DO - 10.1053/cgh.2003.50013
M3 - Article
C2 - 15017499
AN - SCOPUS:0141734063
SN - 1542-3565
VL - 1
SP - 81
EP - 88
JO - Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
JF - Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
IS - 2
ER -