[Surgical treatment of patients with paraesophageal and mixed hiatal hernias]

In 1948-1990 the authors operated 112 patients with paraoesophageal and mixed hiatus hernias. 100 patients operated in 1988 were followed up on a long-term basis. Gastroesophageal reflux was recorded before operation in 52%, haemorrhage in 18%, an ulcer in the neck in 7% an incarceration and obstruction in 9%. Before the onset of the seventies hiatorrhaphy and gastropexy were performed. During check-up examinations in these patients relapses were recorded in 47%, reflux in 43%, subjective complaints in 26%. This made the authors change the surgical procedure and in subsequent years they performed hiatorrhaphy, fundoplication, fundophrenopexy and anterior gastropexy. The incidence of relapses of hernia during check-up examinations declined to 21%, of gastroesophageal reflux to 9% and subjective complaints to 10%. The follow-up period varied between 1 and 19 years. The surgical lethality was 2%.