[Surgical treatment of hiatal hernias (author's transl)]

The diagnosis "hiatal hernia" does not equate with surgery, but if it is combined with disturbed function of the gastrooesophageal transitional area or reflux oesophagitis it needs therapy. Therefore, the diagnosis has to be made with care. Based on over 800 cases the intraluminal layered pH-metry proved to be a very helpful method. Paraoesophageal hernias should be surgically treated due to their tendency towards strangulation and incarceration. From 1956 to 1976 287 patients suffering from hiatal hernia were operated on, mortality rate and late results are analysed.