Gastroesophageal reflux disease

A decade of experience with minimally invasive anti-reflux operations: robot vs. LESS

BACKGROUND

The increasing use of robotic systems for anti-reflux operations prompted this study to evaluate and compare the efficacy of robotic and Laparo-Endoscopic Single-Site (LESS) approaches.

METHODS

From 2012, 228 robotic fundoplication and 518 LESS fundoplication patients were prospectively followed, analyzing perioperative metrics. Data are presented as median (mean ± SD); significance at p ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing a robotic vs. LESS fundoplication were 67 (64 ± 13.7) vs. 61 (59 ± 15.1) years-old with BMIs of 25 (25 ± 3.2) vs. 26 (25 ± 3.9) kg/m2 (p = 0.001 and 1.00, respectively). 72% of patients who underwent the robotic approach had a previous abdominal operation(s) vs 44% who underwent the LESS approach (p = 0.0001). 38% vs. 8% had a re-operative fundoplication (p = 0.0001), 59% vs. 45% had a type IV hiatal hernia (p = 0.0004). Operative duration was 160 (176 ± 76.7) vs. 130 (135 ± 50.5) min (p = 0.0001). There were 0 (robotic) vs. 5 (LESS) conversions to a different approach (p = 0.33). 5 Patients vs. 3 patients experienced postoperative complications (p = 0.06), and length of stay (LOS) was 1 (2 ± 2.6) vs. 1 (1 ± 3.2) days (p = 0.0001). Patient symptomatic dysphagia preoperatively for the robotic vs. LESS approach was scored as 2 (2.4 ± 1.9) vs. 1 (1.9 ± 1.6). Postoperatively, symptomatic dysphagia was scored as 1 (1.5 ± 1.6) vs. 1 (1.7 ± 1.7). The change in these scores was - 1 (- 1 ± 2.2) vs. 0 (- 0.5 ± 2.2) (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Despite longer operative times and LOS in older patients, the robotic approach is efficient in undertaking very difficult operations, including patients with type IV or recurrent hiatal hernias. Furthermore, preoperative anti-reflux operations were more likely to be undertaken with the robotic approach than the LESS approach. The patient's postoperative symptomatic dysphagia improved relatively more than after the LESS approach. The vast majority of patients who underwent the LESS approach enjoyed improved cosmesis, thus, making LESS a stronger candidate for more routine operations. Despite patient selection bias, the robotic and LESS approaches to anti-reflux operations are safe, efficacious, and should be situationally utilized.

The Evolving Landscape of Esophageal Cancer: A Four-Decade Analysis

The incidence of esophageal cancer in the United States seems to have significantly increased since the 1970s. In undertaking this study, we sought to describe changes in the incidence, histologic type, and presenting stage of esophageal cancer over the past four decades. With Institutional Review Board approval, the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database of the National Cancer Institute was queried. Regression analysis was used to analyze data, and significance was accepted with 95 per cent probability. Forty-two thousand seven hundred thirty-nine patients had squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma located in their upper, middle, and/ or lower esophagus from 1973 through 2010, reflecting a 7.5-fold annual increase from 1973 through 2010. Squamous cell carcinoma increased annually 2.5-fold ( P < 0.001) and esophageal adenocarcinoma increased annually 57-fold from 1973 through 2010 ( P < 0.001), whereas the overall population in the United States increased only 43 per cent (215,092,900 to 308,745,538) in the same period. From 1973 through 2010, there was a significant increase in the incidence of esophageal cancer in the United States. This increase was much greater than the increase in the population in the United States. The incidence of adenocarcinoma increased much more than that of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus from 1973 through 2010.

Variation in Preoperative Testing and Antireflux Surgery in Infants

BACKGROUND

Despite the availability of objective tests, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) diagnosis and management in infants remains controversial and highly variable. Our purpose was to characterize national variation in diagnostic testing and surgical utilization for infants with GERD.

METHODS

Using the Pediatric Health Information System, we identified infants <1 year old diagnosed with GERD between January 2011 and March 2015. Outcomes included progression to antireflux surgery (ARS) and use of relevant diagnostic testing. By using adjusted generalized linear mixed models, we compared facility-level ARS utilization.

RESULTS

Of 5 299 943 infants, 149 190 had GERD (2.9%), and 4518 (3.0%) of those patients underwent ARS. Although annual rates of GERD and ARS decreased, there was a wide range of GERD diagnoses (1.8%-6.2%) and utilization of ARS (0.2%-11.2%). Facilities varied in the use of laparoscopic versus open ARS (mean: 66%, range: 23%-97%). Variation in facility-level ARS rates persisted after adjustment. Overall 3.8% of patients underwent diagnostic testing, whereas 22.8% of ARS patients underwent diagnostic testing. The proportion of surgeries done laparoscopically was independently associated with ARS utilization (odds ratio: 1.57; 95% confidence interval: 1.21-2.02). Facility-level utilization of diagnostics (P > .1) and prevalence of GERD (P > .1) were not associated with utilization of ARS.

CONCLUSIONS

There is notable variation in the overall utilization of ARS and in the surgical and diagnostic approach in infants with GERD. Fewer than 4% of infants with GERD undergo diagnostic testing. This variation in care merits development of consensus guidelines and further research.

To what extent are surgery and invasive procedures effective beyond a placebo response? A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised, sham controlled trials

OBJECTIVES

To assess the quantity and quality of randomised, sham-controlled studies of surgery and invasive procedures and estimate the treatment-specific and non-specific effects of those procedures.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL (Cochrane Library), PILOTS, PsycInfo, DoD Biomedical Research, clinicaltrials.gov, NLM catalog and NIH Grantee Publications Database from their inception through January 2015.

STUDY SELECTION

We included randomised controlled trials of surgery and invasive procedures that penetrated the skin or an orifice and had a parallel sham procedure for comparison.

DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS

Three authors independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Studies reporting continuous outcomes were pooled and the standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% CIs was calculated using a random effects model for difference between true and sham groups.

RESULTS

55 studies (3574 patients) were identified meeting inclusion criteria; 39 provided sufficient data for inclusion in the main analysis (2902 patients). The overall SMD of the continuous primary outcome between treatment/sham-control groups was 0.34 (95% CI 0.20 to 0.49; p<0.00001; I(2)=67%). The SMD for surgery versus sham surgery was non-significant for pain-related conditions (n=15, SMD=0.13, p=0.08), marginally significant for studies on weight loss (n=10, SMD=0.52, p=0.05) and significant for gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) studies (n=5, SMD=0.65, p<0.001) and for other conditions (n=8, SMD=0.44, p=0.004). Mean improvement in sham groups relative to active treatment was larger in pain-related conditions (78%) and obesity (71%) than in GERD (57%) and other conditions (57%), and was smaller in classical-surgery trials (21%) than in endoscopic trials (73%) and those using percutaneous procedures (64%).

CONCLUSIONS

The non-specific effects of surgery and other invasive procedures are generally large. Particularly in the field of pain-related conditions, more evidence from randomised placebo-controlled trials is needed to avoid continuation of ineffective treatments.

Does the cost of robotic cholecystectomy translate to a financial burden?

INTRODUCTION

Robotic application to cholecystectomy has dramatically increased, though its impact on cost of care and reimbursement has not been elucidated. We undertook this study to evaluate and compare cost of care and reimbursement with robotic versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

The charges and reimbursement of all robotic and laparoscopic cholecystectomies at one hospital undertaken from June 2012 to June 2013 were determined. Operative duration is defined as time into and time out of the operating room. Data are presented as median data. Comparisons were undertaken using the Mann-Whitney U-test with significance accepted at p ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

Robotic cholecystectomy took longer (47 min longer) and had greater charges ($8,182.57 greater) than laparoscopic cholecystectomy (p < 0.05 for each). However, revenue, earnings before depreciation, interest, and taxes (EBDIT), and Net Income were not impacted by approach.

CONCLUSIONS

Relative to laparoscopic cholecystectomy, robotic cholecystectomy takes longer and has greater charges. Revenue, EBDIT, and Net Income are similar after either approach; this indicates that costs with either approach are similar. Notably, this is possible because much of hospital-based costs are determined by cost allocation and not cost accounting. Thus, the cost of longer operations and costs inherent to the robotic approach for cholecystectomy do not translate to a perceived financial burden.

Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication: Is it as Safe and Efficacious as a Nissen or Toupet Fundoplication?

Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) was U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved in 2007 to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but comparative data are lacking. This study was undertaken to compare outcomes for patients with GERD undergoing TIF versus laparoscopic Nissen or Toupet fundoplications. We undertook a case-controlled study of three cohorts of 20 patients undergoing TIF or laparoscopic Nissen or Toupet fundoplications from 2010 to 2013 controlling for age, body mass index, and preoperative DeMeester scores. All patients were pro-spectively followed. Median data are reported. Patients undergoing TIF had significantly shorter operative times (in minutes: 71 vs 119 and 85, respectively, P < 0.001) and length of stay (in days: 1, 2, and 1, respectively, P < 0.001). No matter the approach, patients reported dramatic and similar reduction in symptom frequency and severity (e.g., heartburn 8 to 0, P < 0.05). At follow-up, 83 per cent of patients after TIF, 80 per cent after Nissen, or 92 per cent after Toupet fundoplications had symptoms less than once per month ( P = 0.12). TIF leads to dramatic symptom resolution, similar when compared with Nissen or Toupet fundoplications. TIF promotes shorter operative times and lengths of stay. Patient satisfaction and effective palliation of symptoms show that TIF is safe and efficacious in comparison to Nissen and Toupet fundoplications and support its continued application and evaluation.

Laparoscopic fundoplication with double sided posterior gastropexy: a different surgical technique

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication has become the gold standard surgical procedure for management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Nissen fundoplication provides an effective barrier against reflux. The aim of this study was to evaluate early postoperative outcomes of a different surgical technique, laparoscopic fundoplication with double sided posterior gastropexy.

METHODS

Data of 46 patients who underwent laparoscopic fundoplication with double sided posterior gastropexy between February 2010 and December 2011 were collected. Surgically, after Nissen fundoplication was completed, 2-4 sutures were passed through the uppermost parts of the posterior and anterior wall of the gastric wrap and then passed gently 1 cm above the celiac artery from the denser fibers of uppermost part of the arcuate ligament. Demographic data, preoperative and postoperative assesments of sympthomatic and functional outcomes of patients were recorded. Length of hospital stay, operative time, early postoperative complications and complications at 1 year follow up, early recurrence rate were also recorded.

RESULTS

This technique resulted in good symptomatic and clinical outcomes. Only one patient out of 45 patients was reoperated. The early recurrence rate was 2.2%.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with double sided posterior gastropexy may prevent paraesophageal herniation. It is a reasonably feasible and effective method in surgical management of GERD.

Gastroesophageal reflux and atrial fibrillation: is there any correlation?

Atrial fibrillation (AF), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernias are commonly seen in clinical practice. GERD and hiatal hernias have been proposed to be a possible cause of AF. In this paper, we will briefly review GERD, AF and hiatal hernias, consider the available literature covering the association between these diseases and provide further insight into the topic in general.

Laparoendoscopic single site (LESS) vs. conventional laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD: is there a difference?

BACKGROUND

This report details our experience with laparoendoscopic single site (LESS) fundoplication for GERD and provides a comparison to earlier contiguous patients undergoing conventional laparoscopic fundoplication.

METHODS

With institutional review board approval, symptoms before and after LESS fundoplications and conventional laparoscopic fundoplications were scored by patients. Outcomes after 130 consecutive LESS fundoplications were compared to 130 contiguous consecutive outcomes after conventional laparoscopic fundoplications.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing conventional laparoscopic vs. LESS fundoplication were very similar. There were no conversions to "open" operations and no notable complications with LESS fundoplication. Symptom reduction was broad and dramatic for patients undergoing LESS or conventional laparoscopic fundoplication; 96 % of patients who underwent LESS fundoplication scored their incision as ≥8 (1 = revolting to 10 = beautiful).

CONCLUSIONS

Relative to conventional laparoscopy, LESS surgery provides excellent resolution of symptoms without an apparent scar. In comparison to conventional laparoscopy, LESS fundoplication is as safe with similar symptom improvement and superior cosmesis.