Laparoscopic revisional surgery for failed anti-reflux procedures

AIM: Failure ratio of an anti-reflux surgery is 2-17% in adults. After unsuccessful fundoplications, if necessary, revisional surgeries can be performed. Revisional surgeries are technically difficult to perform and require professionally advanced experience. On the other hand, it is still controversial which technique should be used in revisional surgery. The aim of this study is to present our experience with revisional surgical procedures for complications or recurrences after anti-reflux surgeries. MATERIAL AND METODS: A total of 18 patients, 16 of whom were referred to our clinic from other centers, and who underwent revisional surgery for failed fundoplication between 2014 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed RESULTS: Five patients were male and 13 were female. The mean age was 40.3 +/- 11.7 years. The most common symptom was the persistence of reflux symptoms (61.2%). Indications for revisional surgery were recurrent hiatal hernia in 10 patients, thightness in 4 patients, mesh migration in 2 patients, mesh migration with recurrent hiatal hernia in 1 patient, and mesh migration with thightness in 1 patient. The mean operative time was 107.2+29.2 minutes. The median hospital stay was 2.9 days (range: 1-6 days). The most common surgical procedure performed was the repair of hiatal crura with mesh, and reconstruction of fundoplication and fixation of neo-fundoplication to the right crus (44.4%). In addition, other surgical procedures performed were takedown of the previous fundoplication (16.6%), takedown of the previous fundoplication and reconstruction of fundoplication (11.1%), cruroplasty and fundoplication with gastric wedge resection (11.1%), removal of the mesh and takedown of the previous fundoplication (5.6%), removal of sutures from the hiatal crura (5.6%), and gastric wedge resection (5.6%). Four patients (27.8%) developed morbidity due to gastric perforation and pleural opening during these procedures. The median follow-up period was 29 months (range: 6-69 months). Two cases (11.1%) who underwent revisional surgery failed, and re-revisional surgery was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Revisionary surgical procedures performed for failed anti-reflux surgery are not limited to re-fundoplication. Different procedures such as takedown of the previous fundoplication, reconstruction of fundoplication, removal of the mesh, removal of the sutures or wedge resection may be necessary. These procedures can successfully be performed laparoscopically by experienced surgeons in well-equipped centers.