An analysis of recurrent esophagitis following posterior gastropexy

Surgical therapy for reflux esophagitis remains controversial. Sixty-five patients who underwent posterior gastropexy between November, 1970 and February, 1976 are presented. Indications for surgery were: esophagitis, 43 patients; esophagitis with stricture, 12 patients; paraesophageal hernia seven patients; incapacitating postfundoplication syndrome, three patients. The average follow-up was 15.6 months. Eighty-two per cent of the patients had a good to excellent result. Twenty-three per cent of the patients developed radiographically recurrent hiatus hernia; however, the incidence of recurrent esophagitis was only nine per cent. Two patients developed postoperative strictures (one de novo, one recurrent). Two patients ultimately required a fundoplication for control of their esophagitis; one patient required a Thal-Nissen procedure. Lower esophageal sphincter pressure on patients with satisfactory results increased from 6.3 +/- 1.3 cm H2O SEM preoperatively, to 17.4 +/- 3.0 cm H2O SEM postoperatively. This increase achieved a statistical significance of p less than 0.001. In patients who had an unsatisfactory result, postoperative sphincter pressures were unchanged from preoperative values. All unsatisfactory results were obtained in patients with complicated esophagitis, i.e., Barrett's ulcer or stricture, alkaline esophagitis, or previous hiatal surgery. Posterior gastropexy appears to constitute effective therapy in the treatment of uncomplicated reflux esophagitis and paraesophageal hiatus hernia without the distressing morbidity associated with the postfundoplication syndrome.