In the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), repairing hiatal hernias alongside antireflux surgery is common. A 13-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial reveals that using a nonabsorbable mesh for hiatal hernia repair doesn’t significantly reduce hernia recurrence rates compared to crural sutures alone. Moreover, patients who received mesh repair experienced higher dysphagia scores for solid foods, indicating swallowing difficulties. These findings question the routine use of mesh closure in laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair for GERD treatment, emphasizing the importance of long-term outcomes.
Journal Article by Analatos A, Håkanson BS (…) Thorell A et 3 al. in JAMA Surg