Original article
The effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with or without hiatal hernia repair on gastroesophageal reflux disease in obese patients

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2013.09.006Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

Obesity is an independent risk factor for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is often associated with the presence of a hiatal hernia (HH). Despite increasing popularity of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in bariatric surgery, its effect on GERD is still unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of LSG with or without hiatal hernia repair (HHR) on GERD in obese patients.

Methods

Seventy-eight patients with HH underwent LSG with concomitant HHR (LSG+HHR group). Their data were compared with that of 102 patients without HH, who underwent only LSG (LSG-group). All patients underwent a standardized questionnaire, a double-contrast barium swallow, and an upper-gastrointestinal endoscopy before the surgical procedure and at least 6 months later.

Results

At baseline, the prevalence of GERD symptoms and their frequency-intensity scores did not differ between groups. At follow up, there was a significant decrease in the prevalence of typical GERD symptoms only in the LSG-group (P = .003). LSG+HHR patients showed a significantly higher heartburn frequency-intensity score compared with LSG patients (P = .009).

Conclusion

This finding confirms that LSG has a beneficial effect on relieving GERD symptoms, although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear; conversely, the procedure of HHR did not produce any improvement in GERD symptoms.

Section snippets

Methods

From January 2007 to April 2011, 180 obese patients eligible for bariatric surgery [14] underwent LSG. Seventy-eight consecutive patients, in whom sliding HH was intraoperatively disclosed, underwent LSG with concomitant HHR (LSG+HHR group), and 102 obese patients, similar for age and gender distribution in whom no HH was intraoperatively disclosed, underwent only LSG (LSG-group). The study was approved by the institutional review board of the university hospital. Adherence to the ethical

Preoperative evaluation

Demographic characteristics of participants are shown in Table 1.

GERD symptoms assessment and HH detection

The prevalence of typical GERD symptoms did not differ between LSG+HHR and LSG patients (P = .9) (Fig. 1). Heartburn and regurgitation frequency-intensity scores were similar between the LSG+HHR and LSG groups (P = .5 and P = .5, respectively) (Fig. 2). The dc-BS showed a significantly higher presence of HH in LSG+HHR patients compared with LSG patients (28.9% versus6.4%) (P = .004). Using UGIE, no differences in the presence of

Discussion

Our results show that obese patients, who underwent LSG, achieved a significant postoperative decrease in the prevalence and intensity-frequency scores of typical GERD symptoms compared with patients who underwent LSG combined with HH repair. Moreover, after bariatric surgery the LSG patients with concomitant HHR had a significantly higher heartburn intensity-frequency score than patients who underwent LSG alone. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare LSG to LSG combined with HHR

Conclusion

LSG has a beneficial effect on relieving GERD symptoms, although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear; conversely, the procedure of HHR did not produce any improvement in GERD symptoms. Further studies, with a complete assessment of GERD (i.e., using a standardized questionnaire, esophageal HRM, 24-hour pH-metry before and after surgery at scheduled long-term follow-up combined with an intraoperative assessment of the size of HH, are warranted to tailor the HH management and avoiding

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