Efficacy of transoral fundoplication vs omeprazole for treatment of regurgitation in a randomized controlled trial.
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-hour 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-hour 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 after 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 in those with persistent regurgitation despite PPI therapy, based on evaluation 6 months after the procedure. Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT01136980.
['Hunter|John G|JG|', 'Kahrilas|Peter J|PJ|', 'Bell|Reginald C W|RC|', 'Wilson|Erik B|EB|', 'Trad|Karim S|KS|', 'Dolan|James P|JP|', 'Perry|Kyle A|KA|', 'Oelschlager|Brant K|BK|', 'Soper|Nathaniel J|NJ|', 'Snyder|Brad E|BE|', 'Burch|Miguel A|MA|', 'Melvin|William Scott|WS|', 'Reavis|Kevin M|KM|', 'Turgeon|Daniel G|DG|', 'Hungness|Eric S|ES|', 'Diggs|Brian S|BS|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D005260:Female D018662:Fundoplication D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux D006801:Humans D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009853:Omeprazole D011182:Postoperative Care D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors
Esophagus EsophyX Stomach TIF