A retrospective study assessing RefluxStop surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease: Clinical outcomes in 79 patients from Germany.

Background: This study reports outcomes of the RefluxStop procedure treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in clinical practice at a high-volume regional hospital in Germany.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 79 patients with chronic GERD that underwent the RefluxStop procedure, comprising high mediastinal dissection, loose cruroplasty, esophagogastroplication between vagal trunks, and fundus invagination of the RefluxStop implant. The primary outcome was GERD Health-Related Quality-of-Life (GERD-HRQL) score and improvement from baseline.

Ontologies and Data Management: A Brief Survey.

Information systems have to deal with an increasing amount of data that is heterogeneous, unstructured, or incomplete. In order to align and complete data, systems may rely on taxonomies and background knowledge that are provided in the form of an ontology. This survey gives an overview of research work on the use of ontologies for accessing incomplete and/or heterogeneous data.