The development process of foregut surgery and its specialized construction in China

Foregut surgery is a classic specialty formed through long-term clinical practice in general surgery and thoracic surgery, with a core focus on benign diseases of the esophagus, stomach, and esophagogastric junction, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, hiatal hernia, achalasia, postoperative reflux, and obesity related reflux diseases. Foregut surgery is an interdisci-plinary system that integrates surgery, endoscopy, functional testing, and imaging evaluation, repre-senting the trend of surgical transformation from morphological repair to functional reconstruction. The authors review the development history of foregut surgery and explore its specialized develop-ment path in China, aiming to provide reference and inspiration for clinicians.