Objective: The purpose of this report is to describe the authors' technique for the laparoscopic repair of paraesophageal hernias and the outcome in their series of patients.
Methods: Thirty patients underwent elective laparoscopic repair of paraesophageal hernias. All were pure type II paraesophageal hernias as defined by upper gastrointestinal contrast studies. All operations were performed by a single surgeon (JKE) assisted by five different chief surgical residents. The authors have used various prototypes of a laparoscopic utility belt to reduce the physician requirement to the surgeon and a first assistant. The operative setup and specific techniques of the repair are described and illustrated. A concomitant anti-reflux procedure was performed in the last 23 patients.
Results: Satisfactory repair using video-laparoscopic techniques was achieved in all cases. There were no deaths. Complications occurred in 8 of 30 patients. Postoperative gastroesophageal reflux developed in three of the first seven patients in whom fundoplication was not performed. Three consecutive patients had left lower lobe atelectasis believed to be related to endotracheal tube displacement during the passage of the bougie. One patient had postoperative dysphagia. There was one case of major deep venous thrombosis with pulmonary embolism. Twenty-eight of 30 patients were discharged home by postoperative day 3. Twenty-four of 30 patients had returned to normal activity by the time of their first postoperative office visit 1 week after surgery.