Intraluminal mesh erosion after prosthetic hiatoplasty: incidence, management, and outcomes

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the incidence, presentation, and treatment of mesh erosion into the esophagus or stomach after mesh hiatoplasty for primary or recurrent hiatal hernia. The study is a single-institution, retrospective cohort study. From November 2005 to December 2016, 122 patients consecutively underwent mesh hiatoplasty in our department, 91 during a primary surgery and 31 for a surgical revision. Follow-up was complete for 74%. Six patients of this series were evaluated for mesh erosion. In all cases, the mesh employed was a dual-type circular one. The mean time from surgery to erosion diagnosis was 42 months (median time 46 months, interquartile range 64 months). Three patients were asymptomatic, 1 had dysphagia, 1 had reflux recurrence, and 1 presented with mediastinal perforation. The absolute erosion rate was 4.9%. For patients under surveillance, the erosion rate was 6.6%, or 1 case every 48 patient-years of follow-up. The erosion rate after primary surgery was 3% or 1/86 patient-years of follow-up, and after surgery for recurrent hernia recurrence was 16% or 1/29 patient-years of follow-up. The mesh was left in place in 2 asymptomatic cases and endoscopically removed in 2 cases. Two patients submitted to surgical removal of the mesh, and only one needed a limited gastroesophageal junction resection for a conversion to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The patient with esophageal perforation submitted to mesh removal, drainage, and an anterior partial fundoplication. There was no mortality. Mesh erosion after hiatoplasty presents with a high rate, especially when hiatoplasty is performed during revisional antireflux surgery. Most patients can be managed conservatively, and endoscopic removal should be considered a first-line therapy.