Long-Term Outcomes of Chronic Cough Reduction after Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication—A Single-Center Study

Background and Objectives: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases. It affects 20% of the adult population and is the third most common cause of chronic cough in adults. This study describes the results of LNF for the relief of GERD-related cough. Materials and Methods: The prospectively collected data on 135 laparoscopic LNF in our department from 2014 to 2018 were reviewed. During consultations, patients were asked about the frequency of symptoms using the GERD Impact Scale (GERD-IS), their satisfaction and recommendation to others, and their general condition after the procedure. Results: We analyzed 23 of 111 patients (20.7%) reporting chronic cough. The mean age was 47 years (range 27–76 years, ±13.9 years) and the mean follow-up time was 48.3 months (range 22.6–76.3 ± 18.05 months). Most patients reported relief from cough after the surgery (78.3%, p < 0.001). Five patients (22%) reported the recurrence of symptoms after a mean of 10.8 months (6–18 months). Seventeen patients (74%) would undergo the surgery again and 18 patients (78%) would recommend the surgery to their relatives. There was a statistically significant improvement in all symptoms from the GERD-IS (p < 0.05). Conclusions: LNF may play an important role in the management of GERD patients with extraesophageal symptoms. After LNF, most of the operated patients reported complete resolution of chronic cough and would recommend the procedure to their relatives.

Results of the study of conservative treatment of laryngeal manifestations of laryngopharyngeal reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a disease of the gastrointestinal tract caused by the discharge of stomach contents into the esophagus. In GERD, both esophageal and extraesophageal manifestations are widespread, but, unfortunately, the latter are less well known. About one third of GERD patients have extraesophageal symptoms, which can occur even in the absence of the usual esophageal symptoms of GERD, which makes diagnosis difficult. The most common of these is laryngitis. In addition to reflux laryngitis, laryngopharyngeal reflux (LFR) can cause the development of contact granulomas, laryngeal stenosis, functional dysphonia, vocal fold nodules, Reinecke's edema, and laryngeal neoplasms. These symptoms disappear after taking antireflux therapy, but there is still no consensus on its duration.Aim. To evaluate the results of treatment of laryngeal manifestations of LFR with omeprasole 20 mg 30 minutes before meals in the morning.Methods. The study involved 531 patients with complaints of hoarseness, of which women 337 - 63.5%, men 194 - 36.5%. We prescribed omeprasole 20 mg 30 minutes before meals in the morning for 6 weeks. Patients were questioned using the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) questionnaire and indirect laryngoscopy with an assessment of laryngeal changes according to the Reflux Signs Scale (RSS).Results. There was a statistically significant decrease in hoarseness 1 week after treatment, which continues to decrease 6 weeks after the initiation of treatment when evaluating the data on the RSI questionnaire. There was no statistically significant difference in the laryngoscopic picture before the start of treatment and after 1 week of treatment according to RSS; a statistically significant decrease in the quantitative assessment of RSS was revealed 6 weeks after the initiation of treatment.Conclusions. Omeprasole at a dose of 20 mg in 30 minutes reduces the symptoms of LFR already after 1 week, the decrease in the severity of symptoms continues by 6 weeks of its use. Improvement of the laryngoscopic picture with the appointment of omeprazole 20 mg 30 minutes before meals occurs by the 6th week of its use. A positive correlation was found between the severity of LFR symptoms, including hoarseness, and the severity of changes in the laryngoscopic picture.

Prevalencia de mucosa gástrica heterotópica cervical y su relación con síntomas de reflujo gastroesofágico. Estudio observacional

Introduction. The heterotopic gastric mucosal patch or inlet patch is the presence of gastric columnar mucosa outside the stomach, most frequently located in the proximal esophagus. Its manifestations vary from esophageal and extraesophageal reflux symptoms to major complications, most of them being asymptomatic. Aim. To determine the prevalence of cervical heterotopic gastric mucosa in our environment and its association with esophageal and extraesophageal reflux symptoms. Material and methods. Prospective cross-sectional and observational study; consecutive patients who came to our institution between December 2018 and October 2019 for diagnostic upper gastrointestinal videoendoscopy were included, following a questionnaire on clinical manifestations. Results. A total of 1,408 patients were included. In 89 (6.3%), a cervical heterotopic gastric mucosal patch was described. The mean age of the patients without this condition was 54.6 and 55.5 in patients with it. The esophageal symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn, regurgitation, and chest pain) in patients with cervical heterotopic gastric mucosa was observed in 40 (44.9% / p = 0.473), 12 (13.5% / p = 0.783) and 4 (4.5% / p = 0.199) patients respectively. The presence of extraesophageal symptoms (globus, chronic cough, dysphonia, and throat clearing) in patients with cervical heterotopic gastric mucosa was: 9 (10.1% / p = 0.011); 7 (7.9% / p = 0.155); 4 (4.5% / p = 0.458) and 9 (10.1% / p = 0.036) respectively. Conclusions. A statistically significant association was found between the presence of cervical heterotopic gastric mucosal patch and symptoms of globus (p = 0.011) and throat clearing (p = 0.036). It could be interpreted that this group of patients would benefit from the research and treatment of this condition with the intention of improving their symptoms.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease and dental erosion: A modern review

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition well defined in the last 15 years. Its management increasingly involves different clinicians such as gastroenterologists and dentists, because of dental erosions attributable to extraesophageal symptoms. This review provides a summary of the oral consequences of GERD, despite the fact that dental erosion can occur every time an acid attacks enamel surfaces, even more so the right diagnosis is crucial and the cooperation between clinicians is advisable.

Extraesophageal Manifestations and Symptoms of Esophageal Diseases

Esophageal diseases are diagnosed by gastroenterological processing indicated due to typical gastrointestinal symptoms, but typical gastrointestinal symptoms are not the only possible manifestation of esophageal disease. There are also external symptoms such as chronic cough, laryngitis, pharyngitis, oropharyngeal dysphagia, odynophagia, laryngopharyngeal reflux, dysphonia, sinusitis, ear pain, and changes in laryngopharyngeal mucosa (erythema, edema, ventricular obliteration, cricoid hyperplasia and pseudosulcus). Extraesophageal symptoms are common in esophagitis and GERD, and studies show increasing prevalence of LPR in patients with GERD, as well as an association of reflux disease with cough and dysphonia symptoms. The aim of the chapter is to describe these extraesophageal symptoms of esophageal disease and how to recognize and treat them, in order to facilitate gastroenterologists’ diagnostic processing of patients with these symptoms, improve their treatment and assessment of the therapy effectiveness, prevent the development of stronger symptoms, and encourage multidisciplinary cooperation and exchange of knowledge, scientific and clinical work.

Difficulties in diagnosing GERD in the absence of esophageal manifestations. Clinical observation

The tendency towards an increase in the incidence of GERD served as the basis for the announcement of the slogan "XX century is the century of peptic ulcer disease, XXI century is the century of GERD" at the 6th European Gastroenterological Week (Birmingham, 1997). The article presents a clinical observation of a patient suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease. The interest and peculiarity of the case lies in the difficulty of making the above-mentioned diagnosis, when the disease is manifested by extraesophageal symptoms: hoarseness, nasal congestion, glossitis, coughing, and cardiac pathology. In this case, the only manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease was persistent dry cough.