Laparoscopic Collis-Nissen operation for shortened esophagus

Esophageal shortening as a complication of advanced gastroesophageal reflux disease is seen in 2-4 % of patients with GERD. The Collis gastroplasty with Nissen fundoplication creates an intraabdominal neoesophagus with a fundic wrap and is an effective procedure in the difficult intraoperative situation of esophageal shortening. After own experience with the open Collis gastroplasty and after reports on successful laparoscopic Collis-Nissen operation we performed 2 laparoscopic Collis-Nissen operations. The technique we used is a new modification of the laparoscopic technique described by Johnson and Hunter in 1998. The postoperative course was uncomplicated in both patients. The follow up included endoscopy and barium meal. The patients showed relief from reflux symptoms except a mild dysphagia. There was no persisting esophagitis. The laparoscopic Collis-Nissen gastroplasty is an effective minimal-invasive procedure in patients with shortened esophagus diagnosed intraoperatively.     

Stapled-wedge Collis gastroplasty for the shortened esophagus

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive Collis gastroplasty is an established technique for managing the shortened esophagus. The purpose of this report is to describe our new technique, the wedge gastroplasty, and report the short-term outcomes. METHODS: All patients (n = 143) undergoing laparoscopic fundoplication from May 2000 to March 2001 were assessed intraoperatively for shortened esophagus. After mediastinal dissection, 15 patients with inadequate intraabdominal esophageal length underwent wedge gastroplasty. Preoperative symptoms, operative times, and short-term outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean operative time was 184 +/- 36 minutes (range 138 to 258). There was 1 cervical esophageal tear from bougie passage and no other minor or major complications. At 6 weeks, there was more improvement in esophageal symptoms compared with extraesophageal symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Wedge gastroplasty is effective in decreasing symptoms in patients with shortened esophagus and takes less time to perform than other gastroplasty techniques. Further study is needed to assess long-term outcomes.     

Minimally invasive approaches to acquired shortening of the esophagus: laparoscopic Collis-Nissen gastroplasty

Acquired shortening of the esophagus remains a controversial finding. In some surgical series of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, the incidence of clinically significant shortening is low enough that some surgeons have questioned its existence. In the setting of massive hiatial hernia, esophageal shortening has been reported to occur in up to 100% of patients. In association with mild to moderate hiatal hernia, clinically significant esophageal shortening is reported from 2.6% to a much higher percentage of patients, depending on the severity and chronicity of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Failure to recognize this shortening may be responsible for a high failure rate after antireflux surgery. Open Collis gastroplasty is an effective way to manage acquired shortening of the esophagus, and it creates a tension-free intra-abdominal segment of neoesophagus for fundoplication. Minimally invasive approaches to Collis-Nissen procedures have been reported by our group and several others with good short-term results.     

Collis-Nissen gastroplasty fundoplication for complicated gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Collis-Nissen gastroplasty fundoplication is a widely accepted operation for patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease complicated by oesophageal shortening. Assessment of this operation by 24 h oesophageal pH monitoring has not previously been reported. Our aim was to correlate clinical and endoscopic results with 24 h pH studies. Twenty-nine patients had a gastroplasty fundoplication, as a result of which twenty-five (86%) had an excellent clinical result, 2 (7%) had a good result and 2 (7%) had a poor result. The two poor results were in patients who had previously undergone anti-reflux surgery. All 29 patients had pre-operative pH monitoring. Twenty-three patients had postoperative pH studies. Oesophageal acidification times were normal postoperatively in 16 of 23 patients however, 7 still had an abnormal study. One of the two patients with a poor clinical result was studied and persistent severe oesophageal acidification was demonstrated. The remaining 6 patients with abnormal studies were asymptomatic. Five of the 6 asymptomatic patients also had a normal oesophagogastroscopy with no macroscopic oesophagitis. We conclude that 24 h pH monitoring after the Collis-Nissen operation should only be performed to assess clinically and endoscopically poor results.     

Results of the Collis-Nissen gastroplasty to control reflux disease in patients who have Barrett's esophagus

Barrett's esophagus is an end-stage gastroesophageal reflux complication with a potential for malignant transformation. This condition probably is involved in esophageal cancer being perceived today as the most rapidly increasing cancer in Western countries. Numerous observations suggest that standard antireflux operations fail over time because of long-term inflammatory and fibrotic changes in the esophageal wall that cause shortening of the esophagus. The addition of esophageal elongation by gastroplasty provides a reliable repair by creation of a tension-free repair, whereas the durable antireflux effects are provided by the total fundoplication around the neoesophagus. The restored LES tone further helps control the mucosal damage and the chronic inflammatory changes. Complete regression of the abnormal mucosa still does not occur, and persistent irritation of that mucosa still entails the risk for progression toward dysplasia. The natural history of the columnar-lined mucosa in BE may be altered by medical or surgical intervention. It is too early to judge in which settings these interventions will be meaningful.     

Laparoscopic Collis gastroplasty and Nissen fundoplication for reflux esophagitis with shortened esophagus in Japanese patients

BACKGROUND: There is an extremely small number of surgical cases of laparoscopic Collis gastroplasty and Nissen fundoplication (LCN procedure) in Japan, and it is a fact that the surgical results are not thoroughly examined. PURPOSE: To investigate the results of LCN procedure for shortened esophagus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The subjects consisted of 11 patients who underwent LCN procedure for shortened esophagus and followed for at least 2 years after surgery. The group of subjects consisted of 3 men and 8 women with an average age of 65.0+/-11.6 years, and an average follow-up period of 40.7+/-14.4 months. Esophagography, pH monitoring, and endoscopy were performed to assess preoperative conditions. Symptoms were clarified into 5 grades between 0 and 4 points, whereas patient satisfaction was assessed in 4 grades. The use of postoperative acid-reducing medication and the recurrence of esophagitis were also investigated. RESULTS: None of the patients experienced intraoperative complications, received transfusions, required conversion to open surgery, or died postoperatively. The average preoperative heartburn, regurgitation, and dysphagia scores were 2.36+/-1.29, 2.27+/-1.19, and 1.82+/-1.78 points, respectively. These scores improved after surgery to 0.55+/-1.21 (P=0.0063), 0.55+/-1.21 (P=0.0094), and 1.0+/-1.18 (P=0.1236) points, respectively. All patients had esophagitis preoperatively, which recurred in 3 patients (27%). In these 3 patients, acid-secreting mucosa was confirmed on the oral side of the wrap, by positive Congo-red staining. Hiatal hernia recurred in one patient, who also experienced recurrent esophagitis. Five patients received acid-reducing medication postoperatively. The degree of satisfaction was excellent in 2, good in 6 patients, fair in 2, and poor in 1 patient(s). CONCLUSIONS: Although the LCN procedure can be performed safely, the outcome was not necessarily satisfactory. The LCN procedure requires avoidance of residual acid-secreting mucosa on the oral side of the wrapped neoesophagus. If acid-secreting mucosa remains, continuous acid suppression therapy should be employed postoperatively.     

Laparoscopic Collis gastroplasty and Dor fundoplication for reflux esophagitis complicated by a penetrating ulcer and shortened esophagus: a case report

The patient was a 72-year-old man, who was referred to us at the beginning of July 2005 with a chief complaint of difficulty with swallowing. After a thorough medical examination, the patient was diagnosed with a penetrating ulcer due to reflux esophagitis, lower esophageal stricture, Barrett esophagus, and shortened esophagus. After administration of a proton pump inhibitor and 2 sessions of endoscopic dilatation, esophagitis was cured and the stricture was eliminated. Subsequently, Collis gastroplasty and Dor fundoplication, which seemed appropriate to certainly avoid injuring communication with the mediastinum created by the penetrating ulcer and provide radical cure, were performed laparoscopically. The patient made a good postoperative progress, was discharged on the 11th hospital day, and is now being followed up on an outpatient basis. There have been no signs of recurrence of esophagitis, and the penetrating ulcer was cured. To our knowledge, this is the first report of simultaneous laparoscopic Collis gastroplasty and Dor fundoplication in the English literature.     

A gastroplasty for short esophagus and reflux esophagitis: experimental and clinical studies.

A safe, simple, effective gastroplasty for short esophagus with reflux esophagitis is described. It has been evaluated in dogs for up to three years with flexible fiberesophagoscopy, esophagrams and intraluminal pressure studies. Successful clinical experience has been encouraging.     

Extended transmediastinal dissection: an alternative to gastroplasty for short esophagus

HYPOTHESIS: The significance of short esophagus and its impact on failure after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication are unknown. Although patients with severe esophageal shortening that requires Collis gastroplasty comprise a small percentage of patients undergoing fundoplication, we hypothesize that patients with moderate esophageal shortening requiring extended mediastinal dissection make up a larger subgroup and that extended laparoscopic mediastinal dissection is a good treatment strategy for such patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective comparative analysis in an academic and private practice-based tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: A total of 205 patients underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease or paraesophageal hernias over 4 years. Outcomes in patients requiring either a type I (<5 cm) or type II (>5 cm) mediastinal dissection were compared. INTERVENTIONS: Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with or without extended mediastinal dissection and esophageal physiology testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Symptom assessments, operative reports, and outcomes were prospectively recorded on standardized data sheets. Postoperative symptom assessment and esophageal physiology testing were performed. RESULTS: A total of 133 (65%) of the 205 patients underwent type I dissection, and 72 (35%) of the 205 patients underwent type II dissection. Failure occurred in 15 (11%) of 133 patients and 6 (10%) of 72 patients, respectively. The presence of a large hiatal or paraesophageal hernia predicted the need for type II dissection. CONCLUSIONS: No difference was seen in failure rates between patients who required a type II dissection and those who did not. This finding suggests that aggressive application of laparoscopic transmediastinal dissection to obtain adequate esophageal length may reduce fundoplication failure in patients with esophageal shortening and provide a success rate similar to that of patients with normal esophageal length. More liberal application of Collis gastroplasty in these patients is not warranted.     

Intrathoracic fundoplication for shortened esophagus: Treacherous solution to a challenging problem

Intrathoracic fundoplication was used in 12 patients with acquired shortening of the esophagus secondary to gastroesophageal reflux. While several patients had excellent results using this approach, five major complications occurred. One patient developed a paraesophageal hernia, while four had ulceration within the wrap itself. One had serious hemorrhage, while another required reoperation to dismantle the intrathoracic wrap. One patient developed a gastrobronchial fistula and eventually died from pulmonary sepsis. The cause of these problems is unknown, but delayed gastric emptying was implicated in two patients. Even though leaving a Nissen fundoplication in the chest seems to be an attractive alternative when the surgeon cannot reduce the wrap below the diaphragm, this alternative is fraught with treacherous complications in a large percentage of patients.     

Vertical banded gastroplasty versus adjustable gastric banding: prospective long-term follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) has been in clinical use since 1979 and adjustable gastric banding (AGB) since 1985. Because promising results were achieved with the adjustable gastric bands available in the market, some surgeons came to the conclusion that VBG might be entirely abandoned and replaced by the adjustable gastric band. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term outcome of the 2 restrictive procedures. METHODS: Within a 7-year period (1994-2001), 1117 gastric restrictive procedures were performed in the course of a prospective nonrandomized comparative trial. We report the outcomes of 563 VBG and 554 AGB procedures performed by 2 surgeons. The mean body mass index was 46.9 +/- 09.9 kg/m(2) for VBG and 46.7 +/- 07.8 kg/m(2) for AGB. Patient selection was performed by acceptance by 1 of the 2 surgeons. VBG was performed by laparotomy and AGB using laparoscopy. The Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS) was used to evaluate the postoperative health status and quality of life. RESULTS: The mean duration of follow-up was 92 months (range 60-134), with a minimum of 5 years. The overall follow-up rate was 92%. In the short-term 3-year follow-up, no statistically significant difference was registered between AGB and VBG in terms of weight loss, reduction of co-morbidities, or improvement in quality of life. The 30-day mortality rate was .4% (2 patients) for VBG and .2% (1 patient) for AGB. The overall reintervention rate in the long term was 49.7% for VBG and 8.6% for AGB (P <.0001, odds ratio .0937, 95% confidence interval .065-.133), the reoperation rate was 39.9% for VBG and 7.5% for AGB (P <.0001). The excess weight loss was significantly greater in the VBG group after 12 months (58% for VBG versus 42% for AGB, P <.05). At long-term follow-up (mean 92 months), no significant difference in weight loss was registered between the 2 study groups (59% for VBG and 62% for AGB, P = .923). The BAROS score in the short term (3 years) was good to excellent in 94% and 90% of the VBG and AGB groups, respectively. In the long-term follow-up period, the BAROS score was significantly in favor of the AGB group (83.9% versus 57.8%, P <.0001, odds ratio 3.797, 95% confidence interval 2.072-7.125). The overall resolution rate of co-morbidities was 80% in both groups. CONCLUSION: This long-term follow-up study shows that VBG and AGB are effective restrictive procedures to achieve weight loss, and loss of co-morbidities. A statistically significant lower re-intervention and re-operation rate and an improved health status and quality of life were registered for AGB.     

Failed gastroplasty for morbid obesity. Revised gastroplasty versus Roux-Y gastric bypass

Forty-six percent of 122 gastroplasties for morbid obesity failed. This included a failure rate of 71 percent for a single staple line without stomal reinforcement, 37 percent for a double staple line and a central stoma reinforced with 2-0 polypropylene, and 42 percent for the Gomez gastroplasty. Revisional procedures were performed in 44 patients. Ten underwent revision of a failed gastroplasty using a gastrogastrostomy and 34 had conversion to a Roux-Y gastric bypass. Patients who had revisional gastroplasty as a second procedure had a significantly higher failure and complication rate than those converted to gastric bypass. Four of these 10 patients were subsequently converted to gastric bypass as their third weight reduction procedure. Conversion of a failed gastroplasty to a Roux-Y gastric bypass is a difficult procedure that carried a significantly higher complication rate in our study than that of a group of 46 patients who underwent a primary gastric bypass procedure. Of 26 patients followed for more than 1 year after conversion to Roux-Y gastric bypass, the average weight loss was 66 +/- 18 percent of their excess body weight. This was comparable to 16 patients who had undergone a primary gastric bypass more than 1 year previously and had lost 69 +/- 17 percent of their excess body weight.