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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Morbid Obesity: Is There a Relation?

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Abstract

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is highly prevalent in morbidly obese patients, and a high body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for the development of GERD. However, the mechanism by which the BMI affects esophageal acid exposure is not completely understood. Although many advances have been made in the understanding of the pathophysiology of GERD, many aspects of the pathophysiology of this disease in morbidly obese patients remain unclear. The following review describes the current evidence linking esophageal reflux to obesity, covering the pathophysiology of the disease and the implications for treatment of GERD in the obese patient.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Room 3226, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA

    Piero M. Fisichella

  2. Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Marco G. Patti

Authors
  1. Piero M. Fisichella
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  2. Marco G. Patti
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Correspondence to Piero M. Fisichella.

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Fisichella, P.M., Patti, M.G. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Morbid Obesity: Is There a Relation?. World J Surg 33, 2034–2038 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-009-0045-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-009-0045-z

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