INITIAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE SURGICAL-MANAGEMENT OF MORBID-OBESITY ASSOCIATED WITH SYMPTOMATIC GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX - A COMPARISON BETWEEN GASTROPLASTY ALONE AND GASTROPLASTY WITH ANTERIOR FUNDOPLICATION
The optimal management of patients with morbid obesity and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains an unresolved issue. We have performed a vertical banded gastroplasty combined with an anterior fundoplication (VBG + AF) in 28 selected morbidly obese patients with moderate or severe heartburn. The patients who underwent VBG + AF are compared to patients who had similar heartburn symptoms and underwent gastroplasty alone during this period. In the VBG + AF group there were two treatment failures (7%). In the gastroplasty group there were 63 patients with 15 treatment failures (24%). These differences were independent of demographic and weight loss variables. These results suggest that VBG + AF may provide a superior option for the management of morbidly obese patients with GERD.