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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Simultaneous Laryngopharyngeal and Conventional Esophageal pH Monitoring
Published on: December 14, 2020
Excess Body Weight and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Andreas Thalheimer1,2, Marco Bueter1,2
1Department of Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Background:
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is strongly associated with excess body weight.
Summary:
GERD is characterized by typical symptoms with or without mucosal damage because of retrograde flow of gastric content into the esophagus. An ineffective esophagogastric junction (EGJ) combined with anatomical abnormalities is considered to be causative. The incidence of GERD is strongly associated with excess body weight, reflecting the pathophysiological relevance of the abdominothoracic pressure gradient.
Key Message:
Weight loss has been demonstrated to be an effective therapy for GERD combined with obesity. In cases in which surgical therapy is indicated, traditional antireflux surgery has led to equivocal results, advocating a proximal Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in these patients to correct both GERD and excess body weight.
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