Transabdominal robot-assisted diaphragmatic plication: a 3.5-year experience.

OBJECTIVES: Diaphragmatic paralysis, a known cause of dyspnoea, can drastically reduce breathing efficiency, diminishing quality of life. We report our 3.5-year experience with 22 consecutive patients who underwent transabdominal, robot-assisted diaphragmatic plication for diaphragmatic paralysis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 22 consecutive patients who underwent this procedure by a single surgeon from 5 September 2012 to 12 May 2016. The primary outcome measure was change in dyspnoea severity, which was measured with the 5-point Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (a score of 5 indicates breathlessness so severe, the individual is homebound). RESULTS: Of the 22 patients who underwent robotic diaphragmatic plication, 17 (77.3%) patients were male. Median body mass index was 30 kg/m2 (range 24.2-42.17 kg/m2). Most plications (13 of 22, 59.1%) were left sided; one (4.6%) was bilateral. Median operating time was 161 min (range 107-293 min), but this time was higher for the first 3 procedures (255 min, range 239-293 min). Median length of stay was 2 days, and median time to chest tube removal was 1 day. At follow-up, 20 of the 22 (91%) patients reported improved breathing and 2 reported no change. No patient reported worsened dyspnoea. The median Medical Research Council score changed from 4.0 preoperatively to 2.0 postoperatively (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Transabdominal robotic diaphragmatic plication involves small incisions but improves surgical dexterity. Surgical times are reasonable, and this surgical technique can be adopted with a quick but steep learning curve. Early results show good functional outcomes.

Early fundoplication is associated with slower decline in lung function after lung transplantation in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

OBJECTIVES: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is prevalent after lung transplantation. Fundoplication slows lung function decline in patients with GERD, but the optimal timing of fundoplication is unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent fundoplication after lung transplantion at our center from April 2007 to July 2014. Patients were divided into 2 groups: early fundoplication (<6 months after lung transplantation) and late fundoplication (≥6 months after lung transplantation). Annual decline in percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 251 patients who underwent lung transplantation during the study period with available pH data, 86 (34.3%) underwent post-transplantation fundoplication for GERD. Thirty of 86 (34.9%) had early fundoplication and 56 of 86 (65.1%) had late fundoplication. Median time from lung transplantation to fundoplication was 4.6 months (interquartile range, 2.0-5.2) and 13.8 months (interquartile range, 9.0-16.1) for the early and late groups, respectively. The median DeMeester score was comparable between groups. One-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial survival rates in the early group were 90%, 70%, and 70%, respectively; in the late group, these rates were 91%, 66%, and 66% (log rank P = .60). Three- and 5-year percent predicted FEV1 was lower in the late group by 8.9% (95% confidence interval, -30.2 to 12.38; P = .46) and 40.7% (95% confidence interval, -73.66 to -7.69; P = .019). A linear mixed model showed a 5.7% lower percent predicted FEV1 over time in the late fundoplication group (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, patients with early fundoplication had a higher FEV1 5 years after lung transplantation. Early fundoplication might protect against GERD-induced lung damage in lung transplant recipients with GERD.