Nissen or partial posterior fundoplication: which antireflux procedure has a lower rate of side effects?

In patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) it is still controversial as to which type of antireflux procedure-the Nissen or the partial posterior fundoplication-offers the lower rate of side effects in the long term.

In this follow-up study the Nissen fundoplication was performed only in GERD patients with normal oesophageal peristalsis. The partial posterior fundoplication was preserved for patients with weak peristalsis. Only patients with effective postoperative control of GERD were included in the study. The study groups consisted of 77 patients who underwent the Nissen fundoplication and 132 patients who underwent partial posterior fundoplication. Clinical assessment of side effects was performed after a median of 52 months following surgery. Manometric assessment of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and of esophageal peristalsis was achieved 6 months after surgery.

Side effects such as dysphagia, bloating, inability to belch and vomit, epigastric pain and early satiety were significantly more common after the Nissen fundoplication than after partial posterior fundoplication. Improvement of the antireflux barrier was equal in both groups; however, LES relaxation was incomplete following the Nissen fundoplication but normal after partial posterior fundoplication. Partial posterior fundoplication resulted in improved oesophageal peristalsis, whereas the Nissen fundoplication caused slight impairment of peristalsis.

Partial posterior fundoplication is a more physiological antireflux procedure than the Nissen fundoplication, and, therefore, this operation has now become our preferred technique for all GERD patients.