Roux-en-Y Gastrojejunostomy: is it an effective treatment for complex Hiatal hernias in the morbidly obese?

BACKGROUND: Primary repair failure rates for hiatal hernias (HH) can reach up to 40%, this is especially high in the morbidly obese patient. There is no clear data on how to manage this patient subset. This paper evaluates the efficacy of Roux-N-Y Gastrojejunostomy (RNY GJ) for treatment of symptomatic HH. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients who received a Roux-en-Y Gastrojejunostomy (RNY GJ) for HH at our institution between January 2016 and January 2021 was performed. Patient demographics, symptoms, and post-operative outcomes were recorded and univariate analysis was performed between preoperative and postoperative symptoms. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients with a mean age of 56.9 years (SD 11.8) underwent RNY GJ. Patients were mostly female (81.1%) with a mean BMI of 36.8 (SD 8.4). An 78.4% reduction in symptoms of either heartburn, dysphagia, or regurgitation was noted at follow up (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: RNY GJ represents a safe procedure for morbidly obese patients with hiatal hernias with no mortalities amongst our patient cohort along with a significant reduction in pre-operative symptoms and no symptomatic recurrences. RNY GJ should be considered as the operation of choice for repair for this patient population.

The Novel Conduit: Challenges of Esophagectomy After Bariatric Surgery.

Metabolic surgery has been on the rise over the last 2 decades. As more literature has been being published regarding its efficacy in treating metabolic syndrome as well as advancements in surgical training and safety rise with it, metabolic surgery will in no doubt continue to increase in prevalence. Concomitantly, the prevalence of esophageal cancer is increasing. We present two cases of patients who are status post sleeve gastrectomy and require esophagectomy. These patients do not have the availability of a gastric conduit, and colon interposition graft was planned for their reconstructions. We here review the two unique case scenarios as well as an overview of colon interposition technique and workup considerations. The need this reconstruction technique will likely increase in the years to come and metabolic surgery and esophageal cancer both continue to rise.

Whipple pancreatoduodenectomy: A technical illustration.

BACKGROUND: The Whipple procedure in its current form owes its evolution to the groundbreaking and innovative work of giants in the field of surgery. From being a multistep procedure with high morbidity and mortality, it is now ubiquitously performed in a single setting, often offered via minimally invasive approaches. Training to perform this procedure is an arduous task, and different training paradigms vary significantly. OBJECTIVES/METHODS: The purpose of this paper is to share a standard method by which the surgeon can perform the Whipple procedure in a systematic manner. Using illustrations to make the steps clearer, the authors will postulate that an improvement in mean operative time can be realistically achieved by most pancreatic surgeons. The focus is also on presenting this complex procedure as reproducible and teachable techniques for trainees. CONCLUSION: This illustrated review of the Whipple procedure as performed at our institution is intended to help facilitate a streamlined and stepwise progression through what is undoubtedly a challenging surgical procedure. Although the procedure described will not apply to all Whipple operations given the heterogeneity in anatomy and circumstances, our hope is that this will lead to a more efficient procedure and decreased operating room time and costs as well as provide a framework to teach and measure technical progress for surgical trainees.

To Wrap or Not to Wrap After Heller Myotomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study is to assess the necessity of fundoplication for reflux in patients undergoing Heller myotomy for achalasia. The secondary aim is to assess the safety of the robotic approach to Heller myotomy. METHODS: This is a single institution, retrospective analysis of 61 patients who underwent robotic Heller myotomy with or without fundoplication over a 4-year period (January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2019). Symptoms were evaluated using pre-operative and postoperative Eckardt scores at < 2 weeks (short-term) and 4 - 55 months (long-term) postoperatively. Incidence of gastroesophageal reflux and use of antacids postoperatively were assessed. Long-term patient satisfaction and quality of life (QOL) were assessed with a phone survey. Finally, the perioperative safety profile of robotic Heller myotomy was evaluated. RESULTS: The long-term average Eckardt score in patients undergoing Heller myotomy without fundoplication was notably lower than in patients with a fundoplication (0.72 vs 2.44). Gastroesophageal reflux rates were lower in patient without a fundoplication (16.0% vs 33.3%). Additionally, dysphagia rates were lower in patients without a fundoplication (32.0% vs 44.4%). Only 34.8% (8/25) of patients without fundoplication continued use of antacids in the long-term. There were no mortalities and a 4.2% complication rate with two delayed leaks. CONCLUSION: Robotic Heller myotomy without fundoplication is safe and effective for achalasia. The rate of reflux symptoms and overall Eckardt scores were low postoperatively. Great patient satisfaction and QOL were observed in the long term. Our results suggest that fundoplication is unnecessary when performing Heller myotomy.