The Impact of Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication on the Long-Term Quality of Life in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is now the most common surgical procedure for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), offering promising long-term outcomes. Outcomes for 46 patients with GERD who underwent Nissen fundoplication during the last 5 years (November 2007-June 2012) were prospectively studied using a structured questionnaire that evaluated clinical symptom scores for heartburn, dysphagia, and satisfaction with clinical outcomes. Postoperative care of the patients including analgesia, median hospital stay, overall cost, and complications was also studied. Clinical follow-up data for 2 years after surgery were available for all 46 patients. Forty-two patients (91.3%) were satisfied with their quality of life and only eight patients (17.4%) continued to receive antacids after surgery. Dysphagia to solid and liquid occasionally appeared in 26.1% (N = 12) and 17.4% (N = 8) of patients, respectively. Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication was an effective long-term treatment for GERD. The operation resulted in a significant reduction of symptoms and minimized the use of antacid drugs with a high degree of patient satisfaction. Although some patients may have returned to antacid treatment at late follow-up or continued to complain of mild discomfort, they were overall pleased with the outcome.