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Jo Buyske, MD

Arch Surg. 2006;141:292.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Tedesco et al¹ put forward a cogent argument for offering laparoscopic antireflux surgery to patients regardless of age. Their retrospective review of their own large database reveals some interesting and pertinent trends, including the finding that elderly patients (defined as those 65 years) were more likely to experience symptoms of regurgitation and cough than were younger patients. These symptoms do not respond as well to medical management as does the symptom of heartburn, so surgery is particularly appealing in this group. The authors assert that laparoscopic antireflux surgery is as safe in elderly patients as in the younger population, but is that correct? The outcomes reported in this article, including resolution of preoperative complaints, intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications of urinary retention, myocardial infarction, pneumonia, wound infection, and pleural effusion, were similar between age groups. Although the authors note that no patient in either group required admission . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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