Comparison of patient-centered outcomes after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease or paraesophageal hernia.

Background: Patients undergoing laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) with paraesophageal hernias (PEH) are not only older and less healthy than those with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but in addition the repair is more complicated. We evaluated whether outcomes relating to GERD symptoms and quality of life (QOL) were impacted by the presence of PEH.

Methods: Prospectively entered data from 149 patients (109 GERD and 40 PEH) were evaluated prior to and one year after LNF with standardized and validated symptoms scores. Scores for heartburn, dysphagia, disease-specific QOL (GERD-HRQL), and general health-related QOL (SF-12 physical and mental component scores) were compared between patients undergoing LNF for PEH or for GERD alone, at baseline and one year after surgery. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Preoperative data for GERD-HRQL, heartburn, and dysphagia were available for 134 patients, with 96% one-year follow-up. SF-12 data were collected for 98 patients with 100% follow-up. PEH patients were older and had greater comorbidity. Preoperative GERD-HRQL and heartburn were significantly worse in the GERD group. One year after surgery, both GERD and PEH patients showed significant improvement in GERD-HRQL, heartburn and dysphagia scores, with no difference in any of these disease or symptom measures between the two study groups. Postoperative PCS and MCS scores showed improvement in GERD patients, while PEH patient scores remained at or below the population mean.

Conclusions: LNF is equally effective as an antireflux procedure in both GERD and PEH patients, prevents symptoms of reflux in PEH patients that have none preoperatively, and does not increase dysphagia in either group. Despite the increased complexity of the procedure, LNF provides an effective control of reflux symptoms in patients undergoing PEH repair.