Objective To study the effectiveness and safety of biological mesh in laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair.
Methods Prospectively collect clinical data of 60 patients with hiatal hernia combined with gastroesophageal reflux disease who were seen at the Department of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Surgery of the Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University from Jan. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023, and follow up the patients, all of whom were treated by laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair and biological mesh was applied during the operation, respectively. All patients underwent laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair with gastric fundoplication and intraoperative reinforcement of the diaphragm with a biological mesh, and the patients were followed up at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months after the operation, including acid reflux, heartburn, vomiting, chest pain, Overall satisfaction, recurrence and mesh-related complications and comparing the preoperative and postoperative indexes.
Results All patients successfully completed the surgery without intermediate openings, the mean preoperative age of the patients was (61.85±15.83) years, the mean body mass index was (24.44±3.65) kg/m2, the mean operative time was (125.83±45.67) min, the mean hernia width was (3.10±1.27) cm, sliding hiatal hernia was 31(51.67%) cases, the total hospitalization time was (9.44±3.32) d, and the mean postoperative follow-up was (10.68±6.15) months, the completion rate of postoperative follow-up was 100% at 1 month after the operation, the completion rate of postoperative follow-up was 98.33% at 3 months after the operation, and the completion rate of postoperative follow-up was 78.33% at 6 months after the operation, and the patients' postoperative symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn improved significantly compared with the preoperative ones, All of them improved significantly compared with the preoperative period. The overall satisfaction score of the patients before surgery was median 3 (2-4), and the overall satisfaction score of the patients at 6 months after surgery was median 10 (9-10), Overall postoperative satisfaction was significantly higher and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05), a total of 3 patients had recurrence, including 1 patient with symptomatic plus radiographic recurrence, and no patient had mesh-related complications.
Conclusion The use of biological mesh in laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair was effective and safe, with no mesh-related complications and high overall patient satisfaction during the follow-up period, which, of course, needs to be longer.