Short-term safety and symptomatic outcomes of transoral incisionless fundoplication with or without hiatal hernia repair in patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease

BackgroundA retrospective community-based study evaluated the safety and symptomatic outcomes of the transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) procedure with or without hiatal hernia repair (HHR) in patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Materials and methodsForty-eight patients underwent TIF using EsophyX (EndoGastric Solutions, Redmond, WA) in 3 community hospitals. Patients who presented with a hiatal hernia 3 cm or more in the greatest transverse diameter underwent laparoscopic HHR before TIF.ResultsForty-two patients completed follow-up assessment at a median of 6 (range 1–11) months. Laparoscopic HHR was performed in 18 (43%) patients before TIF. There were no long-term postoperative complications. GERD-health related quality of life scores indicated heartburn elimination in 63% of patients. The need for daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy was eliminated in 76% of patients. Atypical symptom relief measured by the median reflux symptom index score reduction was significant (5 [0–47] vs 22 [2–42] on PPIs, P < .001).ConclusionsOur results support the safety and symptomatic improvement of TIF with or without laparoscopic HHR. The patients' symptoms were significantly improved, and PPI use was significantly reduced.