Laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair in 221 patients: Outcomes and experience

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Hiatal hernia is a common condition often associated with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The objectives of this study were to examine the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair (LHHR) with biologic mesh to reduce and/or alleviate GERD symptoms and associated hiatal hernia recurrence. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive LHHR procedures with biologic mesh performed by a single surgeon from July 2009 to October 2014. The primary efficacy outcome measures were relief from GERD symptoms, as measured according to the GERD-healthrelated quality-of-life (GERD-HRQL) scale and hiatal hernia recurrence. A secondary outcome measure was overall safety of the procedure. Results: A total of 221 patients underwent LHHR with biologic mesh during the study period, and pre- and postoperative GERD-HRQL studies were available for 172 of them. At baseline (preoperative), the mean GERDHRQL score for all procedures was 18.5 ± 14.4. At follow-up (mean, 14.5 ± 11.0 months [range, 2.0-56.0]), the score showed a statistically significant decline to a mean of 4.4 ± 7.5 (P