Age should not be a barrier to surgery for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), say researchers who found that elderly patients benefit as much from the procedure as their younger counterparts.

Laparoscopic fundoplication is a surgical procedure in which part of the stomach is wrapped and sewn around the lower end of the oesophagus. This "wrap" works like a valve and help prevent stomach acid entering the oesophagus.

However, writing in the Archives of Surgery, Dr Pietro Tedesco, from the University of California at San Francisco in the USA, and colleagues explain: "It is unclear if age should be considered a factor in the choice of treatment for GORD and if fundoplication in elderly patients is as safe and effective as it is in younger patients."

To investigate, the researchers studied 304 patients who underwent fundoplication for GORD, 63 of whom were aged 65 years or older.

They found that the older patients had more regurgitation and respiratory symptoms in addition to heartburn before surgery than those aged younger than 65 years. Hiatal hernias – a protrusion of the upper part of the stomach into the thorax through a tear or weakness in the diaphragm – were also more common among elderly patients, at 77% versus 51%.

However, the duration of the surgical procedure, the incidence of complications and the average hospital stay were similar for both younger and older patients. Furthermore, heartburn symptoms resolved in 90% of patients in each group following fundoplication.

The researchers comment: "The outcome was excellent in most patients and was independent of age. Approximately 90% of patients in each group noted resolution or improvement of heartburn, and they discontinued taking acid-reducing medications. The good results among the elderly patients were not obtained at a cost of more complications."

They therefore conclude: "Laparoscopic fundoplication in elderly patients with GORD is as safe and effective as it is in younger patients. This finding suggests that age should not be a factor in deciding whether to recommend laparoscopic fundoplication for treatment."