[Long-term follow-up after Kaunitz repair of hiatal hernia]

Kaunitz-procedure for gastro-oesophageal reflux. Between May '74 and May '86 we performed 121 Kaunitz-procedures for gastro-oesophageal reflux, mostly with oesofagitis. Follow-up was obtained in 120 of these 121 patients. The mean follow-up is 55 months and the mean age 49.5 years at the time of operation. Of these patients 103 were completely free of reflux-symptoms after the operation while 6 patients had apparent amelioration of their symptoms. In 7 patients we obtained no subjective improvement but in 4 of them the oesofagitis, which they had preoperatively, has disappeared. 4 patients were reoperated because of anatomical recurrence. The results can be considered as good or excellent in 94% of the patients. The Kaunitz procedure is a simple and efficient operative technique in patients with hiatus hernia and reflux.