Influence of functional bowel disease on outcome of surgical antireflux procedures.

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have a coexisting diagnosis of functional bowel disease (FBD) in approximately 30% of cases. Symptom improvement after surgical therapy for GERD may be less in patients with FBD when compared to patients without this coexisting problem. A retrospective review of patients undergoing Nissen fundoplication between 1996 and 2000 evaluated patients with documented FBD or FBD symptoms to determine operative outcome.