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The impact of frailty on outcomes following laparoscopic repair of 'giant' paraesophageal hernias. Surg Endosc 2023 Aug;37(8):6532-6537

Date

06/09/2023

Pubmed ID

37294432

DOI

10.1007/s00464-023-10163-1

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85161403205 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a measure of physiologic reserve and correlates with surgical outcomes in the elderly. Patients who present with giant paraesophageal hernias (PEH) are typically older than 65. We defined 'giant' as a PEH with 50% or more of the stomach in the chest. We hypothesized that frailty correlates with 30-day complications, length of stay, and discharge destination following laparoscopic giant PEH repair.

METHODS: Patients older than 65 to undergo primary laparoscopic repair of a giant PEH at a single academic medical center between 2015 and 2022 were included. Hernia size was determined by preoperative imaging. Frailty was assessed clinically prior to surgery using the modified Frailty Index (mFI), an 11-item instrument that counts clinical deficits associated with frailty. A score ≥ 3 was considered frail. A major complication was a Clavien grade IIIB or higher.

RESULTS: Of the 162 patients included in the study, mean age was 74.4 ± 7.2, and 66% of patients were female (n = 128). The mFI was ≥ 3 in 37 patients (22.8%). Frail patients were older (78 ± 7.9 vs. 73 ± 6.6 years, p = 0.02). There was no difference in overall complication rate (40.5% vs. 29.6%, p = 0.22) or major complication rate (8.1% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.20) between frail and non-frail patients. Functionally impaired patients (METS < 4) were more likely to develop a major complication (17.9% vs. 3.0%, p < 0.01). Average length of stay was 2.4 days, and frail patients experienced a longer mean hospital stay (2.5 ± 0.2 vs. 2.3 ± 1.8, p = 0.03). Frail patients were more likely to be discharged to a destination other than home.

CONCLUSION: Increased frailty as assessed by the mFI is correlated with length of stay and discharge destination following laparoscopic repair of giant PEH in patients > 65. Complication rates were comparable for both frail and non-frail cohorts.

Author List

Xu TQ, Maguire J, Gould J

Author

Jon Gould MD Chief, Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Female
Frailty
Hernia, Hiatal
Humans
Laparoscopy
Male
Postoperative Complications
Retrospective Studies