Short-term results after laparoscopic repair of giant hiatal hernias with pledgeted sutures: a retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: This study investigates if pledgeted sutures for hiatal closure could be an alternative to mesh for the surgical treatment of large hiatal hernia. METHODS: Forty-one patients who underwent laparoscopic 270° Toupet fundoplication with pledgeted sutured crura between September 2014 and April 2017 were evaluated with regard to recurrence of hiatal hernia at 3 months and 1 year after surgery. Indication for pledgets was a hiatal surface area of at least 5.60 cm2, or migration of more than 1/3 of the stomach into the thorax or preoperative hernia size > 5 cm. The integrity of repair was assessed using a barium swallow test 3 months and 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: All operations could be completed laparoscopically with no intraoperative complications. Until study end no complications related to the pledgets have occurred. Forty-four of 50 patients (88.0%) completed the follow-up radiographic examination 3 months (mean 12.7 weeks) after surgery, and 37 patients (74.0%; mean 55.1 weeks) 1 year after surgery. Postoperative recurrence was diagnosed in 3/44 patients (6.8%) at 3 months, and in 4/37 patients (10.8%) at 1 year follow-up. Only one patient was symptomatic, 1 year after surgery (2.7%). All other patients with reherniations were asymptomatic at time of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of pledgets to reinforce hiatal sutures seems safe and shows a quite low early recurrence rate compared to other methods. Long-term data will allow firm conclusions as to whether pledgeted sutures are an appropriate solution for the treatment of giant hiatal hernias.