Laparoscopic Repair of Paraesophageal Hernias with a Falciform Ligament Buttress

Background Buttressing the crura in paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repairs with synthetic mesh may be associated with erosions and dysphagia, while biologic buttresses are expensive and do not decrease long-term recurrence rates. This study documents outcomes following laparoscopic PEH repairs using the falciform ligament as a buttress. Methods This is a prospective study of laparoscopic PEH repairs with a falciform ligament buttress. Preoperatively and at 6 months follow-up, medications, radiologic studies and symptom scores were recorded. Patients included had a hiatal defect greater than 5 cm, while recurrent PEH or prior gastric surgery patients were excluded. Results Thirty-four patients were included with a mean age of 61 years, and 33 patients completed postoperative evaluation with a mean follow-up of 7.1 months. The mean symptom severity decreased from 11.24 ± 1.71 to 3.24 ± 0.84, mean symptom frequency decreased from 11.62 ± 1.70 to 3.45 ± 0.85, and mean total symptom score decreased from 22.85 ± 3.40 to 6.69 ± 1.69 ( p