Hunter JG, Kahrilas PJ, Bell RCW, Wilson EB, Trad KS, Dolan JP, Perry KA, Oelschlager BK, Soper NJ, Snyder BE, Burch MA, Melvin WS, Reavis K, Turgen TG, Hungness ES, Diggs BS
Gastroenterology. 2015 Feb;148(1):324-33.
Background & Aims:
Transoral esophagogastric fundoplication (TF) can decrease or eliminate features of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in some patients whose symptoms persist despite proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. We performed a prospective, sham-controlled trial to determine if TF reduced troublesome regurgitation to a greater extent than PPIs in patients with GERD.
Methods:
We screened 696 patients with troublesome regurgitation despite daily PPI use with 3 validated GERD-specific symptom scales, on and off PPIs. Those with at least troublesome regurgitation (based on the Montreal definition) on PPIs underwent barium swallow, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, 48-hr esophageal pH monitoring (off PPIs), and high-resolution esophageal manometry analyses. Patients with GERD and hiatal hernias ≤2 cm were randomly assigned to groups that underwent TF and then received 6 months of placebo (n=87), or sham surgery and 6 months of once or twice daily omeprazole (controls, n=42). Patients were blinded to therapy during follow-up period and reassessed at 2, 12, and 26 weeks. At 6 months, patients underwent 48-hr esophageal pH monitoring and esophagogastroduodenoscopy.
Results:
By intention-to-treat analysis, TF eliminated troublesome regurgitation in a larger proportion of patients (67%) than PPIs (45%) (P=.023). A larger proportion of controls had no response at 3 months (36%) than subjects that received TF (11%; P=.004). Control of esophageal pH improved following TF (mean 9.3% before and 6.3% after, P<.001); but not after sham surgery (mean 8.6% before and 8.9% after). Subjects from both groups who completed the protocol had similar reductions in GERD symptom scores. Severe complications were rare (3 subjects receiving TF and 1 receiving the sham surgery).
Conclusions:
TF was an effective treatment for patients with GERD symptoms—particularly those with persistent regurgitation despite PPI therapy, based on evaluation 6 months after the procedure. Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT01136980.
Link to abstract on PubMed: Hunter JG, et al; Gastroenterology. 2015 Feb;148(1):324-33.
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