Surgery in benign oesophageal disease

Modern approach to benign oesophageal disease comprises endoscopic, laparoscopic and open surgical procedures. The indication for a surgical procedure is in some patients obvious, but in some patients less clear. It is important for patients and for healthcare professionals to have equal goals and expectations of a surgical procedure. The aim of this chapter is to convey to the reader a surgeon’s view on the limitations of surgery for benign oesophageal disease without technical discussions of less interest to non-surgical professionals. Incidence, pathogenesis, imaging, diagnosis, differential diagnoses, treatment, side effects and complications are discussed for most of the common benign disorders such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, hernias, strictures, achalasia, eosinophilic oesophagitis, diverticula, haemorrhage, foreign bodies and perforations. Symptoms, and objective findings of failed open or minimally invasive surgical procedures, commonly known by operating surgeons only, are briefly discussed and related to normal postoperative expectations and findings.