Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21052996›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of surgery2011

Laparoscopic antireflux surgery in patients with throat symptoms: a word of caution.

Dharmendran Ratnasingam, Tanya Irvine, Sarah K Thompson, David I Watson

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in World journal of surgery, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 30 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Laryngopharyngeal reflux: diagnosis, treatment, and latest research.International archives of otorhinolaryngology · 2014
    Review
  5. Article
  6. New developments in extraesophageal reflux disease.Gastroenterology & hepatology · 2012
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Dharmendran RatnasingamDepartment of Surgery, Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia.
Tanya Irvine
Sarah K Thompson
David I Watson
Flinders University · AUFlinders Medical Centre · AUUniversity of Adelaide · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA subset of patients undergoing laparoscopic fundoplication presents with atypical throat symptoms, and the benefit of surgery in these patients is debated. These patients can present with throat symptoms alone or in combination with typical reflux symptoms. We evaluated the clinical outcome in these patients and compared their outcomes with a larger group of patients who did not have throat symptoms before fundoplication.

methodsOutcome data for 893 consecutive patients who underwent a laparoscopic fundoplication from January 2002 to June 2008 were collected prospectively and managed on a database. Ninety-three patients with atypical throat symptoms were identified, and divided into subgroups with (n=66) and without (n=27) typical reflux symptoms (heartburn and/or regurgitation), and outcomes were compared with patients (n=800) who didn't have throat symptoms. Symptoms were assessed with analog symptom scores for heartburn and dysphagia, as well as satisfaction with the surgical outcome. Case records for patients with throat symptoms were also reviewed to obtain more detail about specific throat symptoms and their resolution.

resultsCough was the commonest atypical symptom, followed by sore throat. Heartburn scores improved following surgery in all patient groups. Dysphagia was more common 3 months after surgery in patients without throat symptoms, although there were no differences for dysphagia at later follow-up. Following surgery satisfaction scores were highest in patients with atypical throat symptoms who also had typical reflux symptoms, and the scores were lowest in patients who only had atypical throat symptoms. Nearly twice as many patients who had throat and reflux symptoms reported improvement or resolution of symptoms, compared to patients who only had throat symptoms.

conclusionsFundoplication achieves a good outcome in patients with atypical throat symptoms who also report typical symptoms of reflux. However, surgeons should be cautious about operating on the subgroup of patients with objective evidence of gastroesophageal reflux who describe throat symptoms but do not report heartburn or regurgitation. In this subgroup, expectations of a good outcome should be minimized.

Indexed as

LaparoscopyCoughFemaleFundoplicationGastroesophageal RefluxHumansMaleMiddle AgedPharyngitisProspective Studies

Identifiers

PMID21052996
OpenAlexW2077681951

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.