The role of protective antireflux procedures in neurologically impaired children: a decision analysis.
OBJECTIVE
Despite normal clinical history and preoperative radiologic and pH studies, gastroesophageal reflux (GER) can become apparent in neurologically impaired (NI) children after gastrostomy tube placement. An antireflux procedure performed at the time of gastrostomy tube placement may prevent postoperative GER and help avoid the need for a subsequent surgical procedure but is associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate in NI children. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of protective antireflux procedures in NI children undergoing gastrostomy tube placement.


METHODS
Decision analysis was used to evaluate the effect of a protective antireflux procedure on morbidity and mortality in NI children. The rate of postoperative GER, need for secondary antireflux procedures, and morbidity and mortality rates after gastrostomy tube placement with or without an antireflux procedure in NI children were estimated from the literature and expert opinion and used to construct decision trees.


RESULTS
At baseline values, gastrostomy tube placement resulted in a lower morbidity (11% v 13%) than gastrostomy tube placement with a protective antireflux procedure. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that gastrostomy tube placement was the favored approach when the morbidity of gastrostomy tube placement was less than 11% or the morbidity of antireflux surgery was greater than 10%. At baseline values, gastrostomy tube placement resulted in a lower mortality rate (0.3% v 0.8%) than gastrostomy tube placement with a protective antireflux procedure. Using 1-way sensitivity analysis, no threshold value of any variable was found that favored the use of a protective antireflux procedure with respect to mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
Although a protective antireflux procedure may reduce the need for additional surgery, inclusion of this procedure is associated with a higher morbidity and mortality rate. Initial placement of a gastrostomy tube without a protective antireflux procedure is the favored approach for NI children without preoperative evidence of GER.
Burd
Randall S
RS
Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, UMDNJ---Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
Price
Mitchell R
MR
Whalen
Thomas V
TV
D003663:Decision Trees; D018662:Fundoplication / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery*; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care