Gastroesophageal reflux in infants and children. Diagnosis and management.

Eighty-three infants and children underwent surgical correction of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) from 1973 to 1978. Fifty-four patients had coexistent brain damage (most commonly due to cerebral palsy), eight were previously treated for esophageal atresia, and four had gastroschisis or omphalocele repair. Clinical presentation included failure to thrive in 64 patients, vomiting in 59, and recurrent bouts of aspiration pneumonitis in 43. Barium roentgenography showed GER in 61 patients, whereas additional tests (particularly pH monitoring) were required for detection of GER in 22 patients. After failure of medical management, transabdominal Nissen fundoplication was performed in 80 cases and a Hill repair in three cases. The surgical mortality was zero, but there were five late deaths. Results were considered excellent in 54 patients, good in 22 patients, and poor in seven. Ten of 12 patients with preoperative stricture responded to dilation after fundoplication. Nissen fundoplication was a safe and effective antireflux procedure in 76 of the 83 cases.