Any differences in the symptomatic outcome of laparoscopic Nissen and Toupet fundoplication appear minimal. There is no reason to tailor the degree of fundoplication to preoperative oesophageal manometry.

Laparoscopic floppy Nissen fundoplication is an effective and durable treatment for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Longer-term follow-up of patients operated on beyond the learning curve can be expected to show further improvements in surgical outcome.

This study has demonstrated a low rate of overnight stay (14.3 per cent) and readmission (1.9 per cent), and a high degree of patient satisfaction for day-case laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

MIO is technically feasible. It does not reduce pulmonary complications or length of stay. Oncological outcomes appear equivalent.

LSTC without cystic duct ligation is an alternative to open conversion when dissection of Calot's triangle is hazardous. Bile leaks are predictable and readily managed.

Laparoscopic repair of large POHs remains feasible. We advocate complete sac excision, hiatal repair, fundoplication, and gastropexy to prevent early recurrence.

The Bravo capsule significantly reduces the patient discomfort and interference with normal daily activities during pH monitoring associated with a naso-oesophageal catheter. Moreover, 48-h Bravo studies offer an advantage over conventional 24-h studies in diagnosing gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Many studies have looked at the learning curve associated with laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) in a given institution. This study looks at the learning curve of a single surgeon with a large cohort of patients over a 10-year period. Prospective data were collected on 400 patients undergoing laparoscopic fundoplication for over 10 years. The patients were grouped consecutively into cohorts of 50 patients. The operating time, the length of postoperative hospital stay, the conversion rate to open operation, the postoperative dilatation rate, and the reoperation rate were analyzed. Results showed that the mean length of operative time decreased from 143 min in the first 50 patients to 86 min in the last 50 patients. The mean postoperative length of hospital stay decreased from 3.7 days initially to 1.2 days latterly. There was a 14% conversion to open operation rate in the first cohort compared with a 2% rate in the last cohort. Fourteen percent of patients required reoperation in the first cohort and 6% in the last cohort. Sixteen percent required postoperative dilatation in the first cohort. None of the last 150 patients required dilatation. In conclusion, laparoscopic fundoplication is a safe and effective operation for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. New techniques and better instrumentation were introduced in the early era of LNF. The learning curve, however, continues well beyond the first 20 patients.