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Summary
Gastroesophageal reflux can cause respiratory issues like hoarseness and asthma. Surgical correction for reflux relieved respiratory symptoms in 74% of patients, highlighting the link between reflux and respiratory conditions.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Surgical Research
Background:
- Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) can present with obscure respiratory symptoms such as hoarseness, asthma, and bronchitis.
- Respiratory complaints are a significant, though often overlooked, manifestation of GER.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in patients undergoing surgical correction for GER.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of antireflux surgery in alleviating these respiratory manifestations.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 300 consecutive patients who underwent surgical correction for GER.
- Patients were categorized based on primary complaints (respiratory vs. peptic).
- Surgical intervention included antireflux procedures, with additional resection for specific conditions like bronchiectasis.
Main Results:
- 129 patients (43%) presented with major respiratory complaints.
- Of these, 82 were referred solely for respiratory issues.
- Surgical correction resulted in noticeable relief of respiratory symptoms in 96 (74%) of the 129 patients.
- Recurrent hiatal hernia or esophagitis was observed in 7% of patients.
Conclusions:
- Gastroesophageal reflux is a common cause of various respiratory symptoms.
- Surgical management of GER effectively improves or resolves associated respiratory conditions in a majority of patients.
- Antireflux surgery should be considered in the etiological investigation of unexplained respiratory symptoms.