title: Medium-term durability of giant hiatus hernia repair without mesh.
abstract: Introduction This is the second report on objective review of 100 patients who underwent composite fundoplication-cardiopexy for repair of giant hiatus hernia (GHH) at a median of 24 months following surgery. Outcomes were objective follow-up by endoscopy and quality of life (QoL) by Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI), modified Visick scores and dysphagia scores. The initial report for this cohort suggested a low objective recurrence rate (9%) and substantial improvements in QoL indices. Methods The rate of hernia recurrence was assessed with Kaplan-Meier analysis and covariates were analysed with the Cox proportional hazards model. Paired t-tests and related samples Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare QoL scores. Unpaired data were compared with the independent samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results Objective review was obtained in 97% of the patients. There were five recurrences of hernias that had a vertical height of >2cm from the diaphragmatic hiatus, with three patients requiring reoperation for severe dysphagia. Small recurrences (<2cm) occurred in 20 patients. The median time to recurrence was 40 months (95% confidence interval: 34-46 months). At two years, recurrence of any size had occurred in 24% of cases. At follow-up review (median: 27 months), the mean GIQLI score was 109 (p=0.279), the median modified Visick score was 2 (p=0.954) and the median dysphagia score was 41 (p=0.623). There was no evidence that the GIQLI score (p=0.089), the modified Visick score (p=0.339) or the dysphagia score (p=0.445) changed significantly after recurrence. Conclusions There was a sustained improvement in overall QoL and reflux scores after GHH repair. QoL scores showed persistent improvement in reflux and overall health, even in the subgroup with recurrence. The majority (80%) of recurrences were small and recurrent herniation did not appear to significantly change QoL. The rates of recurrence and QoL are comparable with those for other methods of repair.
authors.affiliation: Concord Repatriation General Hospital , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.affiliation: Sydney Heartburn Clinic, Lindfield , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Vivian
authors.affiliation: Concord Nuclear Imaging , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van der Wall
authors.affiliation: Concord Repatriation General Hospital , NSW , Australia.|Sydney Heartburn Clinic, Lindfield , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Falk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006551:Hernia, Hiatal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Follow-up study; Laparoscopy; Paraoesophageal hiatus hernia; Quality of life