Impact of Crural Repair and Gastropexy During Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a highly effective and widely performed bariatric procedure; however, postoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains a significant and challenging complication. The mechanisms underlying reflux post-LSG are multifactorial, including disruption of the gastroesophageal junction, decreased lower esophageal sphincter pressure, and intrathoracic migration of the gastric sleeve. This prospective, randomized, comparative controlled study aims to evaluate the efficacy of incorporating systematic hiatal dissection, posterior crural repair, and posterior gastropexy into the standard LSG procedure to mitigate postoperative reflux. A total of 50 patients with severe obesity completed the study, with 25 patients in each of the following groups: 1. Control Group (n=25): Underwent standard LSG. 2. Study Group (n=25): Underwent standard LSG combined with systematic intraoperative hiatal dissection, posterior crural repair to approximate the crura, and posterior gastropexy by anchoring the gastric corpus to the prepancreatic fascia. These additional steps aim to preserve normal gastric anatomy, maintain the anatomical position of the sleeve, and prevent intrathoracic migration. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and at a one-year postoperative follow-up. The primary outcome is the assessment of postoperative reflux symptom burden using two questionnaires: the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD (F-Scale) and the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Symptom Assessment Scale (GSAS). Secondary outcomes include a comparison of operative time, 30-day postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, postoperative weight loss (%EWL and %TWL), and changes in proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use. Additionally, the study assesses the concordance between preoperative endoscopic findings and intraoperative hiatal assessments in the study group.