Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy With or Without Hiatal Hernia Repair in Morbidly Obese Patients

Patients and methods: A total of 70 patients will be recruited and randomized to two groups with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Patients in the control group receive LSG alone and in the experimental group receive LSG with HHR. All subjects should provide basic clinical and demographic information, be evaluated for GER symptoms using GerdQ score, sign informed consent, and complete preoperative abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), and HRIM. Outpatient follow-up would be arranged 1 weeks after discharge, then 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. Weight change and GER symptoms will be evaluated at every outpatient visit. Abdominal CT scan, EGD, and HRIM will be performed 12 months after surgery. Expected results: Less reflux esophagitis, less impedance reflux episodes, lower incidence of hiatal hernia, higher EGJ resting pressure, and longer LES length should be observed in morbidly obese patients receiving LSG with HHR at 12-month follow-up, using EGD and HRIM as evaluation tools. Furthermore, lower GerdQ score should be observed in these patients.